PRESENTED  TO  THE  LIBRARY 


OF 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


BY 


|VIi?s.  Alexander  Proudfit. 

BT  701  . M8  1862 
Morris,  William, 

The  question  of  ages 


r 


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6 


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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2019  with  funding  from 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


https://archive.org/details/questionofagesor00rnorr_0 


THE  QUESTION  OF  AGES 

WHAT  IS  MAH? 


OUTLINES  OP  TESTIMONY 


IN  RELATION  TO 

LIFE,  DEATH  AND  IMMORTALITY. 


BY 

WILLIAM  MOKRIS,  M.  D. 


SECOND  EDITION. 


“  These  (the  Bereans)  were  more  noble  than  those  in  Thessalonica,  in  that  they  received 
the  word  with  all  readiness  of  mind,  and  searched  the  Scriptures  daily,  whether  those  things 
were  so.” — Acts  xvii.  11. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  SCRIPTURAL  KNOWLEDGE  SOCIETY. 

1  8  6  2, 


•  9 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1862,  by 

WILLIAM  MORRIS. 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court,  for  the  Eastern  District  of 

Pennsylvania. 


pRIKTED  BY  KING  &  BAIRD,  SANSOM  STREET,  PHILADA. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


The  eighth  Psalm  is  a  prophecy  concerning  “  The  Christ. ” 
In  it,  David  personates  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  who  is,  therein, 
shown  to  stand  as  man — “  the  second  man” — at  the  head  of 
all  terrestrial  things.  As  standing  on  the  earth,  and  address¬ 
ing  Jehovah,  the  Father,  he  expresses  the  sentiments  of 
perfect  humility  and  adoring  praise — a  devout  admiration  of 
the  infinite  greatness,  and  the  condescension  of  God  :  “When 
I  consider  thy  heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fingers,  the  moon  and 
the  stars  which  thou  hast  ordained  ;  What  is  man^  that  tiiou 
art  mindful  of  him  ?  and  the  son  of  man,  that  thou  visitest 
him  ?”  Ps.  8  :  o,  4. 

The  question,  What  is  man  ? — as  found  in  the  psalm,  is 
intended  to  denote  the  humility  and  admiration  now  described  ; 
but  the  form  of  words  used  will  serve  to  denote  a  question  of 
ages,  among  the  speculative  classes  of  mankind.  Our  present 
purpose  is  to  show,  that  to  this  question,  men  have  offered  a 
reply,  in  the  way  of  ecclesiastical  teaching;  and  God  has 
supplied  an  answer,  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth.  Our  immediate 
concern  is  with  the  reply  of  wise  and  prudent  men. 

From  the  various  schools  of  ecclesiastical  tuition,  a  reply  has 
come  forth,  the  substance  of  which  may  be  thus  condensed  : — • 

“  Man  is  an  immortal  being — mortal,  as  to  his  body,  but 
immortal  in  his  soul.  The  soul  of  man  is  allied  to  angels — ■ 
is  allied  to  God.  The  soul  of  man  is  an  immortal  principle 
to  which  consciousness  a|ways  attaches.  The  soul  of  man  is 
an  indestructible  essence — an  emanation  from  the  Deity — a 


4 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


spark  of  the  Divinity.  Man  is  a  partaker  of  the  life  of  the 
Lord  God — a  participant  in  the  immortality  of  God.” 

“  The  sun  is  but  a  spark  of  fire, 

A  transient  meteor  in  the  sky  ; 

The  soul ,  immortal  as  its  Sire, 

Can  never  die  !” 

“  Yea,  the  visible  universe  in  all  its  magnitude  and  magnifi¬ 
cence  is  but  a  gilded  bauble,  and  a  transient  meteor,  as  com¬ 
pared  with  the  inherent  worth  and  dignity  of  one  man — of 
one  human  soul.” 

Such  is  the  reply  given,  to  the  question,  What  is  man  ? 
And  this  estimate  of  man  is  said  to  be  sustained  and  confirmed 
by  the  deductions  of  Reason,  from  the  nature  of  things ;  and 
by  the  teachings  of  Revelation,  as  found  in  the  inspired  Book. 

I.  The  alleged  evidence  of  the  immortality  of  man,  from 
the  deductions  of  Reason  are,  chiefly,  as  follows,  viz.  :  — 

1.  “  The  soul  of  man  is  immaterial;  and  therefore  is 

IMMORTAL.” 

But  in  this  statement,  an  argument  is  present,  but  an 
evidence  is  not  found.  The  premise  is  merely  a  negative  pro¬ 
position  ;  from  which  a  positive  conclusion  cannot  be  justly 
drawn.  It  merely  states  what  the  soul  is  not.  Thus  :  “  the 
soul  is  not  matter :”  and  from  this  negative  assertion,  the 
positive  conclusion  that,  “  therefore  the  soul  is  immortal ”  is 
professedly  deduced.  The  kind  of  logic  found  in  this  mode 
of  reasoning,  if  fairly  tested,  will  be  discovered  to  be  false. 
It  may  be  tested  thus  :  Man  is  not  an  ant,  therefore  he  is  an 
archangel.  This  paper  is  not  ivory,  therefore  it  is  gold.  In 
this  way  the  unsoundness  of  the  above  argument  will  be  per- 
ceived.  The  premise  is  little  more  than  a  confession  of 
ignorance,  as  to  what  the  nature  of  the  soul  is,  or  of  the  kind 
of  substance  in  which  its  being  and  properties  consist ;  and 
it  is  unreasonable  to  claim  that  this  confessed  ignorance 
supplies  an  evidence  that  the  soul  of  man  is  immortal  ;  or  that 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


5 


because  it  is  not  matter,  therefore  it  can  never  die,  or  be 
destroyed. 

The  soul  of  man  is,  doubtless,  immaterial  ;  and  so,  also,  is 
the  soul  of  everything  that  lives  and  breathes :  for  all  the 
living  creatures  on  earth,  think ;  and  thought  is  not  a  pro¬ 
perty  of  matter,  nor  a  result  of  organization,  however  won¬ 
drous,  or  refined.  Matter  does  not  think  :  and  to  deny  that 
the  inferior  creatures  think,  is  to  reject  the  strongest  evidences 
of  thinking,  besides  one’s  own  consciousness  :  and  to  affirm 
that  they  think  without  an  immaterial  nature  is  to  counte¬ 
nance  the  dogmas  of  materialistic  skepticism,  and  to  surrender 
one  of  the  strongest  evidences  in  favor  of  the  immateriality  of 
the  human  soul. 

Whether  the  thinking  habits  of  the  inferior  creatures  be 
called  reason,  or  sagacity,  or  instinct,  it  is  not  to  be  denied, 
that  they  think.  They  love,  and  desire,  and  are  glad  ;  and 
they  grieve,  and  remember,  and  hate  ;  which  their  bodies 
cannot  do  ;  any  more  than  can  the  body  of  #a  man.  And  as 
the  act,  or  habit  of  thinking  is  the  strongest  metaphysical 
argument  for  the  immateriality  of  the  human  soul  ;  therefore, 
the  statement  under  review — even  if  its  logic  could  not  be 
questioned — will  be  perceived  to  be  worse  than  unsound  ; 
unless  indeed,  the  premise,  in  that  statement,  be  alleged  as  an 
evidence  of  the  immortality  of  the  dog,  the  elephant,  and  the 
ape,  and  of  every  creature  that  lives  and  thinks ;  having  the 
same  weight  as  when  it  is  used  as  an  evidence  of  the  immor¬ 
tality  of  man.  In  a  word  :  the  argument  is  invalid  and 
unreasonable  ;  and  its  only  supposable  force  arises  from  a 
silent  assumption,  that,  because  the  soul  of  man  is  not  matter, 
therefore  it  is  spirit.  But  this  assumption  is  not  warranted  ; 
for  mere  human  Reason  does  not,  and  cannot,  know  anything 
of  spirit ;  except  as  apprehending  the  Existence  and  ubiquity 
of  God,  through  a  consideration  of  His  visible  works.  And 
it  will  be  perceived,  by  thoughtful  minds,  that  the  immateriality 
of  the  human  soul  is  not  an  evidence — and  cannot,  legiti- 


6 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


mately,  be  offered  as  an  evidence — of  the  predicated  immor¬ 
tality  of  man. 

The  second  argument  to  be  considered  relates  to  the  con¬ 
stitution  of  the  soul  of  man  ;  and  is  presented  thus  : — 

2.  “  The  soul  of  man  is  uncompounded  ;  and  therefore  is 

immortal.” 

But  this  argument  is  not  the  result  of  knowledge  :  neither 
is  it  possible  to  try  the  question  involved  in  the  premise.  The 
soul ,  though  immaterial  is  a  real  substance ;  and  though  it 
be  not  spirit,  it  is  a  real  and  substantial  entity ;  for  it  has 
properties  and  active  powers,  which  are  evinced  by  its  mental 
phenomena,  and  which  all  reasonable  minds  admit  to  be  proofs 
of  the  soul’s  substantial  and  personal  being.  But  whether 
the  soul  be  a  simple  or  a  compound  substance,  no  man  is  able 
to  discern  ;  for  even  an  attempt  at  analysis  is  impossible  to 
man.  Respecting  the  constitution,  even,  of  material  things, 
men  have  greatly  erred.  For  instance  :  There  was  a  time 
when  water  and  air,  and  light  were  supposed  to  be  simple 
substances ;  but  the  investigations  of  Science  have  dispelled 
the  mists  of  ignorance,  in  the  midst  of  which  such  conceits 
were  formed.  And  the  corrective  teachings  of  Natural  Science, 
should  suffice  to  inculcate  a  lesson  of  philosophic  modesty, 
respecting  a  subject  which  the  highest  analytical,  human 
wisdom  cannot  explore.  But  assuming  that  the  soul  of  man 
is  uncompounded.  Must  it  not  be  assumed,  also,  that  the 
souls  of  the  inferior  creatures  are  uncompounded  ?  and  are 
not  their  souls  reduced  to  nonentity  by  means  of  death  ? 
Granting  that  the  soul  of  man  is  uncompounded ;  which  we 
liave  no  desire  to  deny,  or  call  in  question.  Is  it,  therefore, 
and  consequently  immortal  ?  Is  not  God  able  to  destroy  the 
soul  of  man — as  a  personal,  conscious  being — if  such  should 
be,  in  any  case,  his  governmental  will  ?  Is  not  God  able  to 
destroy  the  soul — as  a  personal,  conscious  being — by  depriv¬ 
ing  it  of  its  personal  properties  and  powers  ;  though  the  im¬ 
material  substance  of  which  it  consists  may  still  remain  ;  and 


WITAT  IS  MAN  ? 


7 


may  be  confounded  with  other  immaterial  substance,  that 
once  was  endued  with  life  and  consciousness,  but  which  has 
since  been  deprived  of  the  same  ?  Such,  for  instance,  as  the 
souls  of  the  beasts  that  perish.  This  would  not ,  indeed,  ex¬ 
tend  to  an  annihilation  of  the  immaterial  substance  of  the 
soul ;  but  it  would  extend  to  the  destruction  of  the  soul,  con¬ 
sidered  as  a  conscious,  personal  being,  and  as  a  creature  of 
God.  No  exertion  of  power,  on  the  part  of  God,  is  requisite 
to  destroy  the  creatures  of  his  power.  They  perish  at  the 
rebuke  of  his  countenance.  If  he  cease  to  uphold  them,  they 
are  no  more  ;  and  his  suspended  smile,  is  utter  death.  No 
one  who  has  a  becoming  reverence  for  God,  will  deny  that, 
“  He  can  create,  and  He  destroy.” 

The  first  argument  relates  to  the  nature  of  the  soul ;  and 

this,  the  second,  relates  to  the  constitution  of  the  soul :  the 

* 

next  to  be  weighed,  relates  to  the  active  powers  of  the  soul ; 
and  is  presented  thus  : — - 

3.  “  The  human  intellect  is  progressive  in  its  attainments, 
and  requires  eternity  for  the  completeness  of  its  mental  pro¬ 
cesses  ;  and  this  is  a  valid  evidence,  that  the  soul  of  man  is 
immortal.” 

But  progressive  attainment  is  a  proof  of  personal  imper¬ 
fection  ;  and  of  being  exceedingly  unlike  God.  The  Divine 
Mind  does  not  progress.  The  perfectness  of  eternity  and 
immortality  is  in  the  mind  of  God ;  and  therefore  it  does  not 
progress.  And  if  the  fact,  and  the  proof  of  the  fact,  that 
man — in  his  mental  history — is  wholly  unlike  God,  can  be 
used  as  an  evidence  that  man  is  immortal ;  then,  indeed,  the 
immortality  of  man  can  be  most  easily,  but,  at  the  same  time, 
most  strangely  proved.  But  the  possession  of  a  mind  that  is 
unprogressive,  because  perfect,  would  seem  like  an  evidence 
of  immortality,  superior  to  that  which  is  assumed  to  be  de¬ 
rived  from  the  mental  history  of  man.  The  Bee,  for  instance, 
evinces  an  innate  possession  of  the  elements  of  mathematics, 
lie  is  a  perfect  Geometrician,  in  as  far  as  the  economy  of  the 

1*  * 


8 


WITAT  IS  MAN  ? 


apiary  is  concerned  :  and  he  is  a  perfect  courtier,  and  citizen, 
and  subject ;  to  the  same  extent.  He  does  not  progress  in 
his  attainments,  because  that  progression  is  not  possible  where 
perfectness  is  present.  And  if  the  limitations  of  the  insect 
be  objected,  our  reply  is  that  man  also  is  limited  :  so  that  a 
question  of  degree,  only,  is  involved.  We  are  not  aware  that 
infinity,  in  addition  to  eternity,  is  claimed  as  pertaining  to 
man.  The  mind  of  man  has  a  wider  range  and  a  more  versa¬ 
tile  adaptation,  than  has  any  other  creature  on  earth  ;  but  the 
intellect  of  man  is  finite ;  and  the  progressive  attainments 
which  are  assumed  to  supply  an  evidence  of  his  immortality 
• — these  vaunted  attainments,  are  found  only  in  the  mental 
history  of  a  few,  out  of  the  myriads  of  minds  upon  the  face 
of  the  globe.  It  is  most  true  that  nations  have  progressed  ; 
but  even  in  the  case  of  those  nations  that  have  the  most  pro¬ 
gressed,  the  more  elevated  attainments  are  not  those  of  the 
multitude  ;  and  those  attainments  which  are  resorted  to  for  an 
argument,  are  but  progressions  in  Natural,  and  chiefly  in  Ma¬ 
terial,  Science  ;  and  are  occupied  almost  entirely  with  the 
things  and  interests  of  time,  and  of  the  earth — the  earth  being 
the  great  apiary,  so  to  speak,  where  men  are  busily  employed  ; 
but  where  progress  shows  that  perfectness  does  not  reside. 
The  attainments  of  such  men  as  Newton  and  Herschell,  for 
instance,  serve  to  show  that  the  human  mind  is  adapted  for  a 
high  degree  of  attainment,  and  may  suggest  and  sustain  the 
thought  that  man  was  originally  adapted  to  live  forever ;  but 
they  do  not  supply  any  evidence  that  man  is  immortal.  They 
may  favor  the  doctrine  of  the  immortality  of  philosophers ; 
particularly  of  Astronomers ;  but  in  this  way  they  would  dis¬ 
countenance  the  doctrine  of  the  immortality  of  the  mass  of 
mankind. 

Concerning  the  vaunted  assertion,  that  “man  requires  eter¬ 
nity,  in  which  to  complete  his  mental  processes,  we  merely 
remark,  that  there  may  be  judicial  reasons,  pertaining  to  the 
government  of  God,  why  those  mental  processes  should  be 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


9 


cut  short ;  and  why  the  bright  and  soaring  speculations  of 
men  should  be  caused  to  perish.  Besides,  the  most  mature 
and  philosophic  minds,  are  the  readiest  to  admit,  that  there 
is,  in  the  nature  of  things,  a  limit  set  to  the  attainments  of 
the  human  intellect — an  impassable  line  between  the  known, 
and  the  unknown,  the  ascertainable  and  that  which  cannot  be 
ascertained. 

The  assertion,  that  “  man  requires  eternity  in  which  to 
complete  his  mental  processes,”  derives  all  its  apparent  plaus¬ 
ibility  from  the  history  of  astronomic  science.  But,  because 
that  in  the  course  of  thousands  of  years,  Astronomers  have 
discovered  only  the  outskirts  of  the  universe,  does  it  follow 
that,  therefore  man  is  immortal  ?  Or  does  it  follow  that  man 
must  still  live  on,  in  a  state  of  active  intelligence,  until  he  has 
fully  explored  the  immensity  of  space,  and  unbarred  all  the 
secrets  of  the  sidereal  heavens  ?  Can  reason  deduce  any 
such  conclusions  from  any  premises  that  are  just  and  true  ? 
Does  it  follow,  that  because — intellectually  considered — man 
has  not  attained  to  all  conceivable  knowledge,  that  therefore 
he  is  immortal ;  and  is  of  greater  inherent  worth  and  dignity 
than  the  material  universe  ;  which,  in  all  its  grandeur  and 
glory,  revolves  around  the  throne  of  Tiie  Eternal  ;  and  the 
outlying  provinces  of  which  are  so  remote  from  the  small, 
spheroid  and  floating  island  on  which  man  speculates  and 
aspires  ?  The  argument  under  review  is  more  like  a  petition 
than  a  proof ;  in  relation  to  the  immortality  of  the  human 
soul.  And  this  leads  us  to  consider  the  argument  assumed  to 
be  derived  from  the  aspirations  of  the  soul  of  man  ;  and 
which  is  offered  in  this  form  : 

4.  “  There  is  in  the  soul  of  man  an  inextinguishable  thirst 
for  immortality  ;  and  this  fact  supplies  an  evidence  that  man 
is  immortal.” 

But  this  is,  in  truth,  a  strange  statement.  It  is  based  upon 
the  assumption  that,  an  ardent  desire  to  possess  an  object  is 
an  evidence  that  the  object  so  ardently  desired  is  actually 


10 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


possessed.  If,  as  an  argument,  it  were  logical  and  sound  it 
would  fill  the  face  of  the  inhabited  earth  with  wealthy  and 
powerful  men  ;  for  every  man  who  has  an  ardent  desire  for 
money  would  be  a  millionaire  ;  and  every  man  who  thirsts  for 
power  would  be  a  potentate.  But  the  least  reflective  minds 
will  be  aware  that  an  ardent  desire  for  an  object  is  a  proof 
positive  that  the  desired  object  is  not  possessed. 

There  is,  indeed,  in  the  soul  of  man  an  irrepressible  love  of 
life — an  ardent  thirst  for  immortality ;  but  this,  instead  of 
proving  that  man  is  immortal,  might,  justly,  be  used  as 
proving  the  reverse.  But  the  premise  of  the  argument — 
being  in  itself  true — will  serve  to  show,  that  if  the  final  pen¬ 
alty  of  sin  shall  be  unto  the  utter  death  and  destruction  of 
the  man,  this  will  be  a  penalty  that  may  justly  be  called 
“eternal  judgment” — “capital  punishment” — “eternal  pun¬ 
ishment,”  and  “the  second  death.”  And  it  is  known  and  felt 
that  the  human  soul — whose  strongest  instinct  is  an  innate- 
love  of  life,  and  whose  most  ardent  aspiration  consists  in  a 
thirst  for  immortality — shrinks  back  with  inexpressible  horror 
from  the  apprehended  idea,  even,  of  being  utterly  and  forever 

destroyed. 

%/ 

II.  It  is  affirmed  that,  “the  teachings  of  divine  Bevelation 
supply  a  conclusive  proof  of  the  immortality  of  man.”  The 
alleged  evidences  are  these  : 

I.  It  is  asserted  that,  “The  immortality  of  man  is  assumed 
in  the  Bible ;  even  as  the  immortality  of  God  is,  therein, 
assumed.” 

But  this  assertion  has  been  inconsiderately  made.  The 
existence  or  God — and,  thus,  the  eternity  and  immortality 
of  God — is,  of  necessity,  assumed  in  the  Revelation  that  God 
has  given.  We  must,  of  necessity,  believe  that  God  exists, 
before  we  can  believe  that  God  has  spoken  ;  and,  believing  in 
the  existence  of  God,  we,  of  necessity  believe  that  He  is 
eternal  and  immortal.  The  proofs  of  the  existence  of  God 
—the  eternal  and  immortal  God — are  not  to  be  sought  for  in 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


11 


the  Bible.  They  must  be  seen  where  they  are  so  evidently 
shown  ;  even  in  His  visible  works.  The  proofs  of  mathemat¬ 
ical  design,  and  systematic  adaptations — the  elements  and 
evidences  of  perfect  Reason,  even  Divine  Reason,  are 
everywhere  presented  to  view.  They  embroider  the  fabric  of 
the  universe  ;  they  emblazon  every  world  of  light ;  they  are 
written  with  a  sunbeam  on  every  object  upon  earth.  The 
telescope  has  brought  the  report  from  the  ethereal  regions  of 
the  nebulce,  that  God  is  there ;  and  the  microscope  has 
testified  that  God  is  working,  in  every  department  of  terres¬ 
trial  nature,  on  objects  too  minute  to  be  discerned  by  the 
human  eye.  The  clouds,  as  chariots  of  His  presence  and 
progress,  say  that  God  is  within  their  gorgeous  forms ;  and 
the  winds,  in  their  orderly  circuit,  testify  that  God  walketh 
upon  their  wings.  The  birds  of  the  air  sing  of  the  existence 
of  God  ;  and  to  their  melody,  the  ocean  responds  in  the 
thorough  bass  of  its  mighty  roar.  The  sun,  in  its  going 
forth,  proclaims  that  God  has  gilded  it  with  glory ;  and  the 
lily,  in  its  lowly  bed,  most  softly  and  sweetly  says,  that  God 
has  painted  its  petals  with  hues  of  beauty,  brought  from  the 
effulgence  of  the  sun.  And  man’s  own  wondrous  organism 
completes,  to  him,  the  testimony  borne  by  universal  nature, 
to  the  truth  of  the  existence  of  the  eternal,  the  immortal 
God.  And,  with  these  manifold  forms  of  perfect  proof  within 
view,  men  are  without  excuse,  who  dare  to  question  the 
existence  and  eternity  of  God  :  “  For  the  invisible  things 
of  Him,  from  the  creation  of  the  world,  are  clearly  seen,  being 
understood  by  the  things  that  are  made,  even  His  eternal 
power  and  Godhead.”  But,  notwithstanding  this  convincing 
array  of  various  and  manifold  proof ;  and  notwithstanding 
that  the  existence  and  eternity  of  God  is,  of  necessity,  assumed 
in  the  Bible ;  yet ,  in  the  Bible,  the  eternity  of  God,  is 
frequently  asserted — the  immortality  of  God,  is  emphatically 
declared.  Time  would  fail  us  to  quote  the  half  of  the 
instances  to  which  we  refer,  so  let  the  following  suffice  : — “  I 


12 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


lift  up  my  hand  to  heaven,  and  say,  I  live  for  ever.”  (Dent. 
32:  40.)  “  From  everlasting  to  everlasting  thou  art  God  .” 

(Ps.  90  :  2.)  “  The  King  eternal,  incorruptible,  invisible,  the 

only  wise  God.”  (1  Tim.  1  :  17.)  “Who  only  hath  immor¬ 
tality.”  (1  Tim.  6  :  16.) 

And  now,  seeing  it  is  alleged,  that  “  the  immortality  of 
man  is  assumed  in  the  Bible,  even  as  the  immortality  of  God 
is  assumed  ;”  we  justly  ask,  Where  in  all  the  visible  universe 
are  the  evidences  of  man’s  immortality  to  be  discerned  ?  The 
presence  of  man  upon  the  earth,  and  the  works  that  he  has 
done,  are  the  only  and  proper  evidences  of  his  having,  and 
having  had,  any  existence  at  all;  and  here  “He  cometh  up 
as  a  flower,  and  is  cut  down ;  he  fleeth  as  a  shadow,  and  con- 
tinueth  not.”  “Man  dieth,  and  wasteth  away;  yea,  man 
givetli  up  the  ghost,  and  where  is  he  ?”  And  where,  on  the 
pages  of  the  inspired  book,  is  the  immortality  of  man,  even 
once  asserted  or  taught  ?  That  ought  to  be  a  self-evident 
truth,  the  evidences  of  which  are  nowhere  discernible  in  the 
universe;  and  which  is  nowhere  declared  in  the  Word  of 
God.  And  are  we  not  justified  in  saying,  that  the  assertion, 
that,  “the  immortality  of  man  is  assumed  in  the  Bible,  even 
as  the  immortality  of  God  is  therein  assumed” — are  we  not 
justified  in  saying,  that  this  assertion  has  been  most  incon¬ 
siderately  made?  It  lacks  the  wisdom  of  the  Sage,  the 
thoughtfulness  of  the  Theologian,  and  the  humility  and  rever¬ 
ence  of  the  Saint :  and,  to  the  minds  of  many  earnest  men,  it 
has  been  a  stumbling  block  and  a  snare. 

2.  It  is  affirmed  that,  “  the  immortality  of  man  is  substan¬ 
tially  taught  in  various  passages  of  the  inspired  book.” 

The  passages  adduced  to  sustain  this  assertion,  are  chiefly 
those  which  relate  to  the  origin  of  man  ;  for  instance  : — 

“  And  God  said,  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our 
likeness  :  and  let  them  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of  the  sea, 
and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  over  the  cattle,  and  over  all 
the  earth,  and  over  every  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


13 


So  God  created  man  in  his  own  image ;  in  the  image  of  God 
created  he  him ;  male  and  female  created  he  them.”  (Gen. 
2  :  26,  21.)  The  argument,  said  to  be  derived  from  this 
passage,  is  thus  expressed  : — “  Man  was  made  in  the  image 
of  God  ;  therefore  man  is  immortal.” 

But  does  the  fact  which  is  made  the  premise  of  the  argu¬ 
ment,  really  and  of  necessity,  include  and  supply  the  deduc¬ 
tion  ?  If  the  image  of  God,  in  which  man  was  made,  con¬ 
sisted'  in  some  one  quality  or  attribute,  why  should  it  be 
assumed  to  consist  in  the  attribute  of  immortality,  and  of 
immortality  alone  ?  Why  not  in  some  other  attribute,  proper 
to  God?  We  know  that  the  image  of  God,  in  which  man 
was  made,  was  not  corporeal ;  for,  God  is  spirit  :  neither 
was  it  intellectual ;  for,  God  is  omniscient :  neither  did  it 
consist  in  physical  power ;  for,  God  is  omnipotent :  nor  was 
it  moral,  for,  God  is  holy  ;  and  the  attribute  or  characteristic 
of  holiness,  presumes  the  possession  of  “the  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil ;”  and  this  knowledge,  man  did  not  possess, 
when  he  was  made ;  and  it  was  this  that  he  was  forbidden  to 
obtain.  Holiness  consists  in  the  opposedness  of  moral  good¬ 
ness  to  moral  evil  as  known  and  morally  judged.  It  is  most 
true  that  knowledge,  and  holiness,  and  righteousness  are 
ascribed  to  the  “new  man”  in  Christ:  but  this  “new  man” 
is  not  likened"  to  the  “  old  man”  but  is  contrasted  :  The 
analogy  implied,  is  in  the  way  of  contrast  and  not  of  com¬ 
parison — “the  heavenly”  is  contrasted  with  “the  earthy.” 
(Eph.  4:  24;  Col.  3:  10;  1  Cor.  15:  40.)  The  first  man 
was  innocent  and  very  good,  when  he  was  made  in  the  image 
of  God.  But  in  what  did  the  image  of  God  consist  ? 

The  word  which  is  translated,  “  likeness,”  in  Gen.  2  :  26,  is 
d’mooth,  and  is  very  general  in  its  meaning ;  implying  some 
kind  of  equivalence  ;  either  in  the  way  of  reality,  or  of  repre¬ 
sentation:  and  the  word  rendered,  “image,”  is  tzeh-lem  ; 
and  this  word  signifies  an  image  or  representation  that  may 
be  compared,  but  jniust  also,  be  contrasted  with  the  object 

2 


14 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


which  it  is  designed  to  represent.  The  word  is  used  to 
signify  the  “images  of  men:”  (Ezek.  16:  It;)  and,  in  Ps. 
39  :  6,  it  is  translated,  “  a  vain  show ;”  as  it  is  said,  “  Man 
walketh  in  a  vain  show;”  and  in  the  margin, — “an  image.” 
The  meaning  is  that,  man,  in  his  present  state,  is  only  in  the 
image  or  shadow  of  what  he  was  at  the  first.  But  at  the 
first,  he  was  only  in  the  image  or  shadow  of  God — made  in 
the  image  of  God,  but  was  “  not  the  very  image”  of  God.  And 
so,  even  if  the  fact  of  his  own  immortality  was  in  the  mind  of  . 
God  when  he  said,  “  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after 
our  likeness ;”  it  would  not  by  any  means  follow  that  God 
intended  to  make,  and  did  actually  make  man  an  immortal 
being ;  but  rather,  the  contrary  would  seem  to  be  implied. 
For,  as  the  word,  tzeh-lem,  means  merely  an  image,  a  shadow 
or  shadowy  representation — a  symbol  merely  of  the  object 
represented ;  and  as  man  is  said  to  have  been  made  in  the 
image  of  God,  therefore  the  life  of  man  was  but  the  shadow 
of  the  immortality  of  God ;  and,  so,  man  was  not  made  a 
partaker  of  the  immortality  of  God. 

But  why  should  it  be  questioned,  that  the  image  of  God,  in 
which  man  wms  made,  was  governmental,  and  only  govern¬ 
mental  ?  The  delegation  of  dominion  is  the  predominant 
thought  in  the  passage ;  the  word,  “  dominion,”  qualifies  the 
word  “image;”  and  the  exercise  of  dominion  is  shown  to  be 
the  end  for  which  man  was  made  in  the  image  of  God.  The 
conclusion  towards  which  these  particulars  lead,  is  shown  to 
be  a  just  conclusion,  by  the  apostle  Paul.  When  speaking 
of  the  relative  superiority  of  the  man,  and  subordination  of 
the  woman,  in  the  conjugal  economy,  as  ordered  of  God,  Paul 
says  of  the  man,  that,  “  he  is  the  image  and  glory  of  God  : 
but  the  woman  is  the  glory  of  the  man.”  1  Cor.  11  :  17. 

The  truth  concerning  the  image  of  God,  in  which  man  was 
made,  appears  to  be  this  : — Man  was  made  to  be  the  govern¬ 
mental  representative  or  shadow  of  God,  in  the  zoological 
economy  which  God  had  ordained.  He  was  set  over  the 


WirAT  IS  MAN  ? 


15 


inferior  creatures  ;  towards  whose  limited  intelligence  he  stood, 
governmentally,  in  the  place  of  God.  They  were  to  be  subject 
to  him,  and  were  to  look  up  to  him  ;  even  as  he  by  reason  of 
his  superior  intelligence  and  moral  nature  and  relations,  was 
to  be  subject  to  his  Creator,  and  devoutly  raise  his  thoughts 
to  God.  But  man  by  disobedience,  lost  this  image  of  God 
in  which  he  was  made ;  or,  rather,  in  the  very  act  of  disobe¬ 
dience,  he  surrendered  the  dominion  with  which  he  had  been 
invested  of  God,  to  Satan  ;  who  on  the  evil  principle  of  sin, 
and  by  the  act  of  usurpation,  became,  from  that  time,  “  the 
prince  of  this  world  :”  (Jno.  12:  31;  14:  30;  16:11;)  and 
he  is  also  “  the  God  of  this  age.”  2  Cor.  4  :  3,  4. 

The  next  passage  which  is  quoted  to  prove  the  immortality 
of  man  is  this  : — “And  the  Lord  God  formed  man  of  the  dust 
of  the  ground,  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life; 
and  man  became  a  living  soul.”  Gen.  2:  7. 

From  this  passage,  a  two-fold  evidence  is  said  to  be  derived. 
The  first  is  assumed  to  be  included  in  the  words:  “breathed 
into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life.”  But  this  same  “  breath 
of  life”  pertained,  in  common  with  man,  to  all  creatures  that 
breathe,  on  the  earth  and  in  the  air.  (Gen.  6  :  17  ;  7:15, 
22.)  This  well  known  fact  is,  however,  said  to  be  of  no  weight 
at  all  ;  because  that,  it  is  not  written,  concerning  the  inferior 
creatures,  that  God  breathed  into  their  nostrils  the  breath  of 
life.  But  they  could  not  have  had  the  breath  of  life,  except 
by  an  original  act  of  God  :  and  it  is  not  written,  that  God 
breathed  the  breath  of  life  into  the  nostrils  of  the  woman. 
She  had  the  breath  of  life,  in  common  with  the  man,  and  with 
all  creatures  on  earth  that  breathe :  as  it  is  said,  “Yea,  they 
all  have  one  breath.”  (Eccle.  3  :  19.)  The  attempt  to  qualify 
this,  is  of  no  force  at  all. 

The  assumption  in  which  the  assertors  of  man’s  immortality 
indulge  is  that  “the  words  :  ‘  breathed  inter  his  nostrils,’  &c.  ; 
signify  that  a  divine  efflux  or  emanation  was  communicated 
into  the  man,  out  of  the  life  and  immortality  of  the  Lord 


1G 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


God.”  But  the  original  word,  translated,  “  breathed”  has  no 
such  meaning,  and  bears  no  such  intent,  as  that  of  personal 
breathing.  That  word  is  nah-phach,  and  means,  to  blow,  as 
the  wind ;  and  to  put  air  in  motion,  either  by  means  of  the 
pneumatic  laws,  or  by  artificial  ineans.#  It  occurs,  and  is  thus 
used  in  Job  20  :  26  ;  Isa.  54  :  16  ;  Ezek.  22  :  20,  21  ;  37  :  9, 
and  Hag.  1:9;  and  is  therein  represented  by  the  English 
verbs,  to  blow,  and  to  breathe.  The  truth  is,  that  the  ideas 
brought  to  the  ecclesiastical  interpretation  of  this  passage, 
are  derived  from  Plato,  the  heathen  philosopher,  and  not 
through  “Moses,  the  man  of  God.” 

But  again  it  is  argued  that,  “  the  breath  of  life,”  given  to 
man,  is  called  in  the  original,  ‘  the  breath  of  lives  and  that, 
“it  is  thus  shown,  that  God  imparted  to  man  a  plurality  of 
lives,  even,  animal  life,  intellectual  life,  and  immortal  life.” 
But  if  this  were  true,  and  these  three  kinds  of  life  were  im¬ 
parted  to  man,  or  breathed  into  man,  at  the  same  time,  in  the 
breath  of  life,  and  by  a  divine  emanation  out  of  the  life  of  the 
Lord  God ;  then,  even  the  animal  life  of  man  would  be  a 
portion  of  the  life  of  God  ;  and  so  it  would  be  impossible  for 
man  to  die,  at  all  :  even  a  temporal  death  would  be  impossi¬ 
ble  to  him.  An  argument  that,  thus,  proves  too  much,  dis¬ 
proves  the  point  which  it  is  used  to  maintain. 

The  words  in  the  original  are  nisiimath  ciiah-yeem,  and 
do  literally  mean,  breath  of  lives  :  but  the  same  plural  word, 
ciiah-yeem,  is  used  in  relation  to  all  creatures  that  breathe. 
It  occurs  in  Gen.  6  :  \7  ;  7  :  15,  22  ;  where  the  words,  “breath 
of  life,”  represent  the  original  terms,  iioo-ach  ciiah-yeem, 
and  nisiimath  roo-ach  ciiah-yeem  :*  so  that,  in  as  far  as  the 
breath  of  life  is  concerned,  there  is  nothing  pre-eminent,  or 


*  The  truth  is,  that,  according  to  the  idiomatic  usage  of  the  Hebrew 
language,  plural  nouns  are  used,  when  the  ideas  of  importance,  and  of 
necessary  and  common  possession,  are  prominently  in  view.  For  in¬ 
stance  :  the  Hebrew  word  for  “blood,”  is,  daiim;  but  the  plural  form 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


17 


even  distinctive,  predicated  of  man.  We  repeat  the  quotation  : 
“Yea,  they  all  have  one  breath  ;”  and  remark,  that  the  fact, 
that  man’s  “  breath  is  in  his  nostrils,”  is  mentioned  to  show 
that  he  is  an  unreliable  creature — fleeting,  evanescent  and 
»ain.  Isa.  2  :  22. 

The  second  evidence,  said  to  be  derived  from  Gen.  2  :  7, 
as  proving  the  immortality  of  man,  is  supposed  to  be  found  in 
the  words,  “living  soul as  it  is  written  :  “And  man  became 
a  living  soul.”  But  it  is  not  written  concerning  the  woman, 
that  she  became  a  living  soul.  She  did  of  course  become  a 
living  soul ;  and  so  did  every  creature  that  was  caused  to  re¬ 
spire  ;  and  every  such  creature  is  so  called  in  the  Hebrew 
text.  The  original  phrase  in  question  is  nephesh  chah-yail 
For  some  reason  known  to  the  translators,  but  not  derived 
from  the  laws  and  usages  of  the  Hebrew  language,  this  phrase 
istranslated,  “living  soul,”  in  Gen.  2:  7 ;  and  “living  creature” 
in  every  other  place  where  it  is  found.  The  phrase,  nephesh 
chah-yah,  is  peculiar  to  Moses;  in  whose  writings  it  occurs 
twelve  times  ;  that  is,  in  Gen.  1 :  20,  21,  24,  30  ;  2  :  7,  19  ;  9: 
10,  12,  15,  16  ;  and  in  Levit.  11:  10,  46.  It  is  a  compound 
term,  pertaining  to  descriptive  history,  and  relating  in  com¬ 
mon  to  everything  that  lives  and  breathes.  This  is  well 
known  to  every  one,  acquainted  with  Hebrew  nouns  and 
adjectives.  And,  in  a  note  of  his,  on  Gen.  1  :  24  ;  Hr.  Adam 
Clarke,  has  the  following  remarks  : — “  nephesh  chaiyah,  a 
general  term  to  express  all  creatures  endued  with  animal  life, 
in  all  its  infinitely  varied  gradations,  from  the  half-reasoning 
elephant  down  to  the  stupid  potto ,  or  lower  still,  to  the 
polype,  which  seems  equally  to  share  the  vegetable  and 
animal  life.”  But  for  some  reason  of  his  own,  the  learned 


of  this  word,  dahmeem,  is  frequently  used,  by  reason  of  the  importance 
of  the  blood,  and  of  its  necessary  presence  and  circulation,  for  the  sus¬ 
tainment  of  animal  life  ;  and  by  reason  of  its  being  possessed,  in  com¬ 
mon,  by  all  men  ;  and  also  by  creatures  inferior  to  man. 


18 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


Doctor  ignores  the  fact,  that  it  is  this  same  “  general  terra, ” 
that  being  found  in  Gen.  2  :  1,  and  therein  applied  to  man,  is 
there,  and  there  only,  translated,  “living  soul.”  Had  the 
learned  Doctor,  not  suppressed  the  truth  of  this  ;  and  had  he 
said  that  this  “  general  term”  is  descriptive  of  all  creatures 
endued  with  animal  life,  from  man  down  to  the  stupid  potto, 
he  would  not  in  that  case  have  obscured  the  Mosaic  record, 
by  keeping  back  a  part  of  the  truth. 

The  arguments  we  have  just  reviewed,  are  professedly  de¬ 
rived  from  the  divine  record  of  man’s  first  appearance  on  the 
earth  ;  the  next  in  order  is  supposed  to  be  supplied  by  a 
certain  notice  of  man’s  disappearance  from  this  earthly  scene. 

In  Eccle.  12  :  7  ;  it  is  written,  “  Then  shall  the  dust  return 
to  the  earth  as  it  was  :  and  the  spirit  shall  return  unto  God 
who  gave  it.”  The  argument  which  this  passage  is  supposed 
to  supply,  is  to  the  following  effect : — - 

“  It  is  written,  that  at  death,  the  spirit  of  a  man  returns  to 
God  who  gave  it ;  therefore  we  conclude  and  affirm  that  man 
is  an  immortal  being.” 

This  argument  is  based  on  the  assumption  that  the  word 
translated,  “  spirit”  in  the  above  passage  is  used  as  a  substan¬ 
tive  noun  ;  and  means,  the  soul  of  man.  But  this  is  not  self 
evident,  and  may  not  be  the  meaning  at  all.  The  original 
word,  roo-acii,  may  possibly  mean,  the  breath  of  man,  as  in 
Gen.  6  :  17  ;  and  several  other  places.  We  do  not  say  that, 
in  this  instance,  it  means  the  breath.  It  may  be  used  to  sig¬ 
nify  the  motion  of  the  soul,  in  passing  away  ;  and  passing  into 
the  custody  of  God.  More  than  this  it  cannot  mean  ;  seeing 
that  it  is  applied  to  man,  as  man  ;  and,  so,  to  all  men  alike. 

The  doctrine  deducible  from  the  text,  may  be  this  :  the  soul 
survives  when  the  body  is  dead,  or  continues  to  be  a  real 
entity,  whatever  change  of  state  it  may  have  undergone  ; 
and  it  passes  into  the  custody  of  God  ;  either  that  the  purpose 
of  salvation  may  be  realized,  or,  that  the  ends  of  justice  may 
be  secured.  This  is  true,  in  itself ;  whether  it  be  taught  in 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


19 


this  passage,  or  not :  but  this  fact  is  not  by  any  means  a 
proof  that  the  soul  of  man  is  possessed  of  inherent  immortal¬ 
ity  There  shall  be  “the  second  death  and  it  remains  to  be 
shown — that  the  soul  of  man,  as  unredeemed  and  unregenerate, 
can  survive  the  second  and  final  death. 

The  word  roo-acii,  is  sometimes  translated,  “breath;”  in 
some  instances,  “  wind;”  and  in  others,  “  spirit.”  The  ideal 
meaning  of  the  word  is,  motion;  as  excluding  the  idea  of 
matter.  Its  lower  application  is  to  the  wind;  which  is  the 
motion  of  the  atmosphere  ;  and  on  this  same  principle  it  is  used 
to  signify  the  breath,  or  the  motion  of  the  air  in  respiration. 
It  is  also  used  to  signify  the  motions  and  emotions  of  the  soul, 
in  the  case,  both  of  men  and  of  beasts  In  all  these  cases  of 
application  it  is  used  adjectively,  and  not  as  a  proper  noun. 
But  in  its  highest  application,  and  as  retaining  its  ideal 
meaning,  it  is  used  as  a  noun-substantive,  and  so  is  applied 
to  God.  It  is  so  used,  because  that,  its  ideal  meaning  ex¬ 
cludes  the  thought  of  matter,  and  includes  the  idea  of  active 
power.  In  this  way  it  is  employed  to  present  a  negative 
idea  of  the  nature  of  God  ;  thus  :  God  is  not  corporeal  ; 
neither  is  He  material ;  nor  do  the  properties  and  limitations 
of  matter  pertain  to  Him  ;  God  is  essentially  possessed  of 
active  power  :  “  God  is  spirit  :” — and  “  that  which  is  born 
of  the  Spirit  is  spirit :”  and,  so,  the  word  pneuma — the  Greek 
equivalent  of  the  Hebrew  word  roo-acii — in  the  proper  sense 
and  meaning  of  a  substantive  noun,  is  applied  to  those  who  are 
born  of  God,  as  denoting  that  new  nature  which  is  in  them, 
as  regenerate  men.  But  to  man,  as  man,  the  word,  “  spirit,” 
in  every  department  of  Holy  Scripture,  is  used  adjectively,  as 
signifying,  only,  the  motions  and  emotions  of  the  soul.  Had 
this  been  properly  considered  we  should  have  had  no  occasion 
to  remark,  that  the  first  metaphysical  argument  we  examined, 
derives  all  its  apparent  plausibility  from  a  silent  assumption 
that,  “  because  the  soul  of  man  is  not  matter,  therefore  it 
is  spirit.” 


20 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


There  is  another  passage  quoted  from  Ecclesiastes,  which, 
in  the  English  version,  reads  thus  :  “Who  knoweth  the  spirit 
of  a  man  that  goeth  upward,  and  the  spirit  of  a  beast  that 
goeth  downward  to  the  earth.”  (Eccle.  3:  21.)  And  the 
argument,  which  is  professedly  based  on  this  text,  takes  this 
form  :  “  It  is  written,  that  the  spirit  of  a  man  goeth  upward, 

and  the  spirit  of  a  beast  goeth  downward  to  the  earth  ;  and 
this  statement,  distinctively  proves  the  immortality  of  man.” 

It  must  require  a  considerable  degree  of  courage — not  to 
say  temerity — even  to  approach  this  passage,  when  the  im¬ 
mortality  of  man  is  affirmed.  For,  in  the  first  place,  the  text 
does  not  affirm  any  thing  ;  but  only  asks  a  question,  and 
offers  a  challenge  of  the  most  formidable  kind.  Solomon  had 
just  written  some  exceedingly  “  hard  sayings,”  respecting 
which,  those  who  use  the  above  argument  may  well  exclaim, 
“Who  can  hear  them  ?”  We  commend  those  sayings  to  the 
thoughtful  regard  of  such  as  desire  to  learn  and  know  the 
truth.  Having  written  those  sayings,  Solomon  asks,  “Who 
knoweth  the  spirit  of  the  sons  of  men  is  ascending  ?  (or  is 
that  which  ascends,)  and  the  spirit  of  the  cattle  is  descending 
(or  is  that  which  descends)  downward  to  the  earth  ?”  In 
both  cases  alike,  Solomon  uses  the  participle  in  its  emphatic 
form ;  and  by  means  of  his  two-fold  question,  he  appeals  to 
the  wisdom  of  the  world,  and  challenges  the  philosophy  of  its 
most  erudite  sages,  to  show  by  any  method  of  actual  proof, 
that  the  sons  of  men  possess  that  kind  of  pre-eminence  which 
they  claim,  but  which  lie  so  roundly  denies. 

We  have  now  examined  the  arguments,  most  commonly 
said  to  be  derived  from  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  by  those  who 
advocate  the  doctrine  of  the  inherent  immortality  of  man. 
But  it  is  affirmed  in  ecclesiastical  teaching,  that,  “in  the 
Christian  Revelation  it  is  expressly  stated,  that  Adam  was 
tli e  son  of  God,  and  that  all  men  are  the  offspring  of  God.” 
The  passages  which  are  claimed  as  teaching  this,  are  Luke  3  : 
30  j  and  Acts  17  :  28,  29. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


21 


The  passage  in  Luke  is  the  last  clause  in  the  maternal 
genealogy  of  the  Lord  Jesus;  and,  in  the  received  English 
version,  it  stands  thus:  “Adam,  who  was  the  .son  of  God.” 
Here,  the  words,  “ the  son being  printed  in  italics ,  give 
notice  to  the  reader  of  mere  English  that  they  are  words 
added  by  the  translators ;  and,  so,  do  not  represent  any  words 
found  in  the  Greek  text.  The  syntax  of  the  maternal 
genealogy  of  the  Lord  Jesus  is  a  notable  instance  of  the 
preciseness  which  distinguishes  the  language  of  the  inspired 
*  Book. 

That  genealogy  commences  thus:  “And  Jesus  himself 
began  to  be  about  thirty  years  of  age,  being  (as  was  supposed) 
the  son  of  Joseph;”  and  of  Joseph,  it  is  said,  “who  was  of 
Heli.”  Joseph’s  own,  proper  father  was  named  Jacob  ;  as 
shown  in  the  legal  genealogy  of  the  Christ.  (Matt.  1:  16.) 
But  Joseph  was  the  son  in  law  of  Heli,  who  was  the  father 
of  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary,  the  mother  of  the  Lord.  In  the 
legal  genealogy,  the  royal  line  is  traced  from  David,  through 
Solomon ,  down  to  Joseph  ;  but  in  the  maternal  genealogy, 
the  royal  line  is  traced  upward  from  Heli,  through  Nathan , 
to  David  ;  and  then  still  upward  to  the  first  man,  Adam. 
But  Joseph  was  not  the  son  of  Heli ;  and  Adam  was  not  the 
son  of  God.  This  two-fold  consideration  governs  the  syntax 
of  the  genealogy,  immediately  in  view.  The  first  person 
named  in  the  series  (Joseph)  was  not  the  son  of  Heli ;  and 
the  last  person  named  in  the  series  (Adam)  was  not  the  son 
of  God  ;  and  therefore — though  each  of  the  other  persons 
named  was  the  begotten  son  of  his  father  who  is  also  named 
—  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Divine  Author  of  the  inspired  Book, 
directed  that  neither  the  word,  son,  nor  the  idea  of  son 
should  be,  at  all,  introduced.  The  Greek  preposition,  eh, 
might  have  represented  the  idea  of  son,  or  of  derivation  out 
of,  if  such  had  been  the  intention  of  the  record,  in  the  case  of 
the  first  man.  But  the  sign  of  the  genitive,  only,  is  used,  (in 
the  form  of  the  relative)  and  it  is  so  used  because  that, 


22 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


Joseph  “was  of  Ileli,”  in  the  sense  and  relation,  only,  of 
being  his  son  in  laic ;  and  because  that,  Adam  “  was  of  God,” 
in  the  sense  and  relation,  only,  of  being  the  creature  of  His 
power.  The  syntax  was  constructed  to  show,  that  Adam  was 
not  the  son  of  God. 

But,  the  apostle  Paul  is  said  to  teach,  that  all  men  are  the 
veritable  offspring  of  the  living  God.  He  is  supposed,  so  to 
teach,  because  that,  on  a  certain  occasion,  he  quoted  from 
certain  Greek  poets  a  sentiment  which  is  translated  by  these 
words  :  “  For  we  are  also  his  offspring.”  But  the  history  of 
the  affair,  as  recorded  in  Acts  17,  16-34,  supplies  a  correc¬ 
tive  answer  to  this  ecclesiastical  mistake  ;  and  to  the  use,  so 
commonly,  made  of  the  same. 

At  Athens,  Paul  was  accused  of  being  “a  setterforth  of 
strange  gods;”  and  to  be  such  an  one  was,  by  the  laws  of 
Athens,  to  be  guilty  of  capital  crime.  But  Paul  cleared 
himself,  at  once,  from  this  accusation,  by  quoting  the  inscrip¬ 
tion  on  one  of  the  Athenian  altars: — agnosto  tiieo,  “to 
the  unknown  God.”  But  did  Paul,  by  making  this  quota¬ 
tion,  endorse  the  ignorant  and  vain  conceits  of  the  Athenians, 
by  whom  that  altar  had  been  reared,  and  by  whom  it  was 
revered  ?  On  the  contrary,  he  proclaimed  pure  theism,  to 
the  Athenians.  He  declared  the  true  God — the  Unity, 
the  Creator,  the  Supreme,  the  Spirit,  the  Independent, 
the  Benefactor,  the  Invisible,  the  Omnipresent,  the 
Adorable,  the  Adjuster  of  the  nations,  the  Upholder  of 
all  things,  the  Raiser  of  the  dead.  And,  while  he  was  thus 
preaching  pure  theism,  he  convicted  the  Athenians  of  the 
unreasonableness  of  idolatry,  by  quoting  from  certain  of  their 
own  poets,  and  by  reasoning  from  their  own  premises,  as 
found  in  the  quotation  he  had  then  made.  The  sentiment 
which  Paul  quoted  is  found  in  Aratus,  and  also  in  Cleantlies. 
The  words  quoted  are  these  :  Tou  gar  kai  genos  esmen. 
The  true  rendering  of  these  words  is :  For  we  are  also  his 
product.  Even  the  Socratic  or  Platunic  idea  of  the  origin 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


23 


of  the  soul  of  man  is  not  included  in  these  words,  and  was 
not  in  the  mind  of  the  poets  by  whom  they  were  written. 
This  will  presently  be  shown.  But  we  now  observe,  that 
Paul — as  in  the  former  case,  so  also  in  this — met  the  Atheni¬ 
ans  on  their  own  ground ;  and,  on  the  principle  of  this  latter 
quotation,  he  reasoned  thus  :  “  Bor  as  much  then  as  we  are 
the  product  of  God,  we  ought  not  to  think  that  the  Godhead 
is  like  unto  gold,  or  silver,  or  stone,  graven  by  art  and  man’s 
device.”  The  word  which,  in  the  received  English  version  is 
translated,  “offspring,”  and  which  is  herein  translated, 
“product,”  is  genos ;  and  the  Scriptural  usage  of  this  word 
is  to  signify,  a  class,  a  kind,  a  species,  a  stock,  a  kindred, 
a  native  country,  and,  at  most,  a  product  or  result.  And  the 
point  of  Paul’s  reasoning  is  this  :  “  Man  is  animate,  intelli¬ 
gent  and  active.  For  as  much  then  as  men  are  a  product  of 
God,  or  a  result  of  his  intelligent  and  active  power,  we  are 
bound  not  to  think,  and  to  establish  by  law,  that  the  Godhead 
can  be  represented  by  inanimate  statues,  designed  and 
chiseled  by  human  art.”  But  did  Paul,  by  reasoning  thus, 
on  a  quotation  made — did  he  endorse  the  sentiment  of  the 
Greek  poets,  that  mankind  were  the  product  of  Jupiter  ?  Of 
course  he  did  not ;  neither  did  he  teach  the  doctrine  that 
mankind  are  the  veritable  offspring  of  the  true  God.  As  we 
have  already  intimated,  the  words  which  Paul  quoted  are 
found  in  Aratus ;  and  also,  substantially,  in  Cleanthes,  in  a 
hymn  to  Jupiter  or  Jove — the  Supreme  God  of  the  Greek  and 
Roman  world.  Under  the  title  of  Jupiter  or  Jove,  they 
worshipped  the  whole  expanse  of  the  heavens, — particularly 
the  celestial  Ether;  which  they  conceived  to  be  productive 
of  universal  life ;  and  which  was  called — as  by  Yirgil,  for 
instance,  “  The  Almighty  Father,  Ether.”  And  Euripides, 
one  of  the  Greek  poets,  says, 

“Thou  seest  this  lofty,  this  unbound  ether, 

Encircling,  with  his  fluid  arms,  the  earth  ; 

Esteem  this  Jove,  this  venerate  as  God.” 


24 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


This  was  the  Supreme  God  of  the  Greek  poets,  from  whom 
Paul  quoted ;  and  as  he  did  not  endorse  the  sentiment  that, 
mankind  are  the  product  of  the  celestial  Ether  ;  no  more  did 
he  teach  the  doctrine  that,  all  men  are  the  veritable  offspring 
or  sons  of  the  true  God.  He  merely  met  the  proud  Athenians 
on  their  own  ground  ;  fought  them  with  their  own  weapons  ; 
and  pierced  their  pride  of  Reason,  to  the  quick.  And  it  is 
marvelous  that  this  has  not  been  perceived  by  intelligent  and 
learned  men,  who  are  professionally  engaged  in  the  study  and 
exposition  of  the  Scriptures  of  truth  :  and  yet,  it  is  not  mar¬ 
velous,  seeing  that,  they  have  assumed,  without  a  particle  of 
any  kind  of  evidence,  that  man  is  by  nature  immortal — that 
the  human  soul  is  an  emanation  from  God,  and  that  every 
child  of  Adam  is  a  partaker  of  the  life  and  immortality  of  the 
Lord  God. 

There  are  other  passages  of  Holy  Scripture,  quoted  with 
an  endeavor  to  prove  that  man  is  immortal.  They  are  of  two 
distinct  and  very  different  classes.  The  one  class  relates 
exclusively  to  the  ransomed  and  regenerate  from  among  men 
. — the  sons  of  God  ;  who,  having  eternal  life  now ,  shall  put  oil 
immortality  at  the  appearing  of  the  Lord  :  and  the  other 
class  relates  to  the  future  punishment  of  the  ungodly,  conse¬ 
quent  on  the  judgment  of  the  quick,  and  the  dead,  at  the  last 
day.  Both  these  classes  of  texts  will  come  under  review  as 
we  proceed.  At  present  we  turn  from  the  reply  which  men 
have  offered  to  the  question,  What  is  man  ?  in  order  that  we 
may  give  heed  to  the  answer  which  God  has  supplied,  in  the 
Scriptures  of  truth. 

We  have  before  observed  that  the  eighth  Psalm  is  a  prophecy 
concerning  “the  Christ;”  and  that,  in  it,  David  personates 
Christ.  Inspiration  was  of  more  avail  to  the  eye  and  to  the 
mind  of  David,  than  the  telescope  has  been  to  the  “  wise  and 
prudent”  of  the  present  time.  It  supplied  him  with  a  just 
conception  of  the  magnitude  and  magnificence  of  the  universe, 
and,  also,  with  a  just  estimate  of  the  actual  littleness  of  man. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


25 


But  the  impression  made  on  our  minds,  by  David’s  words  is 
deepened  exceedingly  by  a  knowledge  of  the  fact  that  “  the 
Spirit  of  Christ”  spoke  by  David — that  the  speaker  in  the 
psalm  is  the  Son  of  God.  Having  become  man,  He  stood 
upon  the  earth,  and  contemplating  the  azure  heights  of  heaven, 
and  the  worlds  that  revolve  therein,  He  addressed  Jehovah, 
the  Father,  saying,  “  When  I  consider  thy  heavens,  the  work 
of  thy  fingers,  the  moon  and  the  stars  which  thou  hast 
ordained  ;  What  is  man ,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him  ?  and 
the  son  of  man ,  that  thou  visitest  himV ’  In  this  manner, 
lie  who  came  to  redeem  men,  has  pronounced  upon  the  actual 
littleness,  and  comparative  nothingness  of  man.  And,  in  this 
way,  He  has  shown,  that  the  grandeur  and  glory  of  redemp¬ 
tion  do  not,  in  any  respect,  arise  from  any  real,  or  supposa- 
ble  dignity,  or  worth  in  the  nature  of  man.  Redemption  has 
a  far  different  basis  for  its  surpassing  magnitude  and  magnifi¬ 
cence  ;  and  far  other  sources  of  its  eternal  glory  and  renown. 
In  a  word  :  the  grandeur  and  glory  of  redemption  are  derived 
entirely  from  God  —  from  the  displays  of  his  “  manifold  wisdom,” 
and,  “  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace.” 

In  the  School  of  God,  we  obtain  a  true  answer  to  the  ques¬ 
tion,  What  is  man  ?  And  the  answer  which  God  has  supplied 
is  both  manifold,  and  distinct. 

I.  From  the  intimations  of  universal  Nature,  and  from  the 
teachings  of  divine  Revelation,  we  learn  that,  man  is  a  creature 
of  God. 

The  fact  that  God  is  the  universal  Creator  is  sufficient  to 
establish  the  truth,  that  man  is  his  creature.  No  being,  or 
thing,  outside  of  God,  is  eternal.  Out  of  nothing ,  God 
created  all  things — out  of  nothing,  He  created  the  spirit  of 
the  archangel,  and  the  life-principle  of  the  worm — out  of 
nothing,  He  created  the  soul  of  man,  and  the  vital  germ  of 
the  grass  of  the  field.  Man  is  a  creature  of  God,  and  net  his 
offspring — not  his  son  ;  as  men  so  vainly  speak. 


26 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


Concerning  the  direction  whence  the  first  man  came,  it  is 
written,  “  The  first  man  is  out  of  (Greek,  etc)  the  earth,  earthy  : 
the  second  man  is  the  Lord  out  of  heaven.”  (1  Cor.  15  :  47.) 
The  soul  is — primarily  and  essentially  and  operatively — the 
man.  The  body  is  an  affair  of  cellular  tissue,  and  organic 
structure — a  wisely  adapted  instrumentality  for  the  manifesta¬ 
tion  and  uses  of  the  soul.  The  soul  is  essentially  the  man. 
This  is  evidently  true.  And  it  is  fundamentally  true,  that  the 
personal  Deity  of  Jesus  is  essentially  “the  Lord.”  And, 
in  the  verse,  now  in  view,  the  earth,  as  an  origin  of  ascent ,  is 
contrasted  with  heaven,  as  an  origin  of  descent.  The  con¬ 
trast  instituted  does  not  relate  merely  to  the  body  of  the  first 
man  ;  even  as  it  does  not  relate  at  all  to  the  body  of  the  Lord. 
It  was  the  Lord,  Himself,  that  came  down  out  of  heaven  ;  and 
it  was  the  man,  himself,  that  came  up  out  of  the  earth. 

The  fact  of  man’s  original  creation  is  recorded  in  Gen.  1  : 
26,  28  The  order  of  the  Adamic  formation,  and  evolution, 
is  described  in  Gen.  2  :  7,  18-23.  And  the  philosophy  of 
the  human  creation  is  enshrined  in  Ps.  139  :  14-16.  In  that 
psalm,  David  celebrates  the  perfections  of  Jehovah — more 
particularly,  His  omnipresence,  and  omniscience,  and  the 
secret  wonders  of  his  unlimited  power.  In  respect  to  the 
latter,  David  refers  to  the  mysteries  of  gestation,  and  of  his 
own  embryo  existence,  in  his  mother’s  womb.  And,  having 
made  this  allusion,  he  proceeds  to  trace  up  the  prime  origin 
of  his  personal  being  to  the  creation  of  “the  first  man  well 
knowing  that  the  whole  human  race  is  but  an  evolution,  in  the 
way  of  increase  and  multiplication,  of  that  which,  at  the  very 
first,  God  created  and  made;  and  which,  increase  and  multi¬ 
plication,  was  enjoined  in  the  divine  benediction  on  the  first 
human  pair.  Gen.  1  :  28. 

Devoutly  raising  his  thoughts  to  God,  David  says,  “  I  will 
praise  thee  ;  for  I  am  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made : 
marvelous  are  thy  works:  and  this  my  soul  knoweth  right 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


2« 

well.  My  substance  (“goii-tzmi* — essential  force  or  un dif¬ 
fused  essence )  was  not  hid  from  thee,  when  I  was  made 
(gnus-seh-thi, — prepared)  in  secret,  and  curiously  wrought 
(ruhk-kam-ti,  embroidered )  in  the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth. 
Thine  eyes  did  look  upon  my  unevolved  substance  ;  (gohl-mi, 
from  goh-lem,  a  little  ball  or  globule — my  globular  vesicle 
of  evolution ;)  and  in  thy  book  (of  design)  the  whole  of  my 
members  were  written,  (or  sketched)  as  timely  they  should  be 
fashioned  ;  when  as  yet  not  one  of  them  was.” 

The  elemental  truths  in  this  divine  philosophy  are  these  : — 
The  vital  and  vigorous  substance — the  immaterial  soul-*—  of 
man;  was  created  of  God,  and  under  his  especial  regard,  “  in 
the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth,”  or,  as  men  speak,  “  in  the 
bowels  of  the  earth.” — In  the  mystery  of  creation,  this  vital 
and  vigorous  essence,  was  caused  of  God,  to  be  enveloped 
within  a  minute  and  globular  vesicle  of  evolution — the  prim¬ 
ordial  spermatozoon — and  was  evolved  within  the  earth,  as  in 
a  prepared  germ-cell,  and  matrix.  This  created  and  imma¬ 
terial  soul  was  endued  of  God  with  appropriative  and  forma¬ 
tive  capabilities  ;  and  being  constitutionally  energized  by  the 
power  of  God,  in  the  way  of  organic  forces,  certain  primary 
elements  of  the  earth  were  taken  up  and  appropriated,  by 
virtue  of  that  same  power  of  God  ;  and  so,  in  accordance  with 
the  artistic  design  of  God,  the  created  and  immaterial,  human 
soul — “  in  the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth” — was  arrayed  in  an 
embroidered  vestment,  a  coporeal  form,  that  may  well  inspire 
us  with  devout  wonder  and  awe. 

This  organized  body,  so  wonderously  wrought  from  within 
. — by  the  power  of  God,  as  put  forth  through  the  appropria- 


*  “goh-tzem  denotes  strength ,  substance,  force — the  essence  of  a  being, 
or  thing — the  being,  or  thing  itself.  The  feminine  form,  “geh-tzem,  is 
used  to  signify  a  bone ;  because  the  bones  of  a  body  are  its  concentrated 
strength  and  firmness.  But  in  respect  to  the  essential  substance  and 
force  of  man,  the  first  instant  it  was  created,  it  is  more  correct  to  speak 
of  it  as  undiffused,  than  as  concentrated. 


23 


WTTAT  IS  MAX  ? 

live  and  formative  capabilities  with  which  the  created  sonl 
was  constitutionally  endued — may  well  be  described  as  a  body 
embroidered  of  God  :  and  most  artistically  and  admirably 
were  the  various  substances  and  colors  of  its  manifold  texture 
disposed  and  arranged  ;  in  the  forms  of  ganglia,  and  nerves, 
and  muscles,  and  viscera,  and  arteries,  and  veins,  and  carti¬ 
lage,  and  bones ;  while  the  whole  was  formed  and  fashioned 
in  organic  symmetry  and  beauty ;  clothed  with  native  come¬ 
liness  ;  and  was  completed  and  crowned  with  a  graceful  and 
glossy  crown. 

We  now  turn  back  upon  Gen.  2  :  7,  to  learn  certain  other 
particulars  relative  to  the  corporeal  formation  of  man  ;  and 
how  he  was  physically  inspired,  and  was  thus  invigorated  for 
the  purposes  of  phenomenal  and  practical  life.  “  And  Jehovah 
Eloheem  formed  the  Adam  of  dust  or  atomic  elements  ("gaii- 
ptiar)  of  the  earth  ;  (ha-adahma)  and  blew  (ya-yeh-piiacii) 
into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life ;  (nish-math  chah-yeem) 
and  the  Adam  (ha-adam)  became  unto  a  living  soul  — 
l’nepeiesii  chah-yah. 

We  have  already  noticed  the  meaning  and  force  of  the 
principal  words  in  this  text ;  and  to  the  remarks  then  made 
we  now  refer.  And  we  have  already  shown,  from  1  Cor.  15  : 
47,  that  the  first  man,  in  his  origin,  as  a  man,  was  out  of  the 
earth  ;  and,  in  Gen.  3:  19,  we  are  told  that  he  was  11  taken  ” 
out  of  the  earth  ;  and,  so,  was  not  formed  on  the  surface  of 
the  earth.  Concerning  the  inferior  creatures,  it  is  written  : 
“  And  Eloheem  said,  Let  the  waters  bring  forth  abundantly 
the  moving  creature  that  hath  a  living  soul — nephesh  chaii- 
yah.  “  Let  the  earth  bring  forth  the  living  soul  (nephesh- 
ciiah-yah)  after  his  kind.”  Gen.  1:  20,  24. 

We  have  now  learned  that  the  earth  was  the  common  mother 
of  all  creatures  that  live  and  breathe,  including  the  man  ;  who 
was  taken  out  of  the  earth.  When  the  immaterial  soul  of 
man  had  been  created  “in  the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth,”  and 
the  man  had  there  been  evolved,  and  organized,  and  matured, 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


29 


by  the  wondrous  wisdom  and  power  of  God — when  he  had 
thus  been  formed  and  mo, tiered  as  a  man — the  maternal  earth 
was  caused  to  open,  and  the  vital  and  mature  man  was  taken 
out  of  the  earth;  and  when  God  took  out  the  animate  man, 
He  blew  into  his  nostrils  the  electricized  air — the  common 
breath  of  all  lives  upon  earth — and  the  man  became  unto  a 
living  soul ;  that  is,  he  became  unto  a  vigorous  and  energetic 
soul.  Man  was  a  nephesh  or  soul,  a  vital  soul,  before  he  was 
taken  out  of  the  earth ;  and  he  was  caused  to  become  a 
vigorous  soul  by  means  of  the  breath  of  life.  The  word  chah- 
yah,  living,  does  not  represent  the  idea  of  abstract  existence, 
but  of  vigorous  being.  The  idea  of  abstract  existence  is 
represented  by  another  word,  the  word  hah-yah,  pronounced 
with  a  soft  breathing,  and  meaning,  he  was  ;  but  ciiaii-yaii 
includes  the  idea  of  the  existence  of  the  being,  as  an  antece¬ 
dent  fact,  and  has  a  rough  guttural  sound,  and  means  he  was 
strong,  robust,  vigorous .  The  man  differed  very  greatly  from 
all  the  other  creatures  on  earth,  as  touching  his  grade  and 
status  among  and  over  them,  especially  by  reason  of  his 
moral  powers,  and  his  governmental  relations  to  his  Creator, 
God  ;  but  as  touching  the  effects  and  result  of  the  breath  of 
life,  he  became  unto  that  which  all  the  inferior  creatures  had 
become  before  him — he  became  a  vigorous  creature  of  God. 

But  is  it  not  remarkable,  and  “  passing  strange,”  that  the 
wondrous  facts  and  divine  philosophy  of  the  human  creation 
should  be  so  thoroughly  ignored  in  ecclesiastical  teaching, 
even  by  wise  and  very  learned  men  ?  The  puerile,  and  yet 
proud,  conceits  that  are  substituted  for  the  teachings  of  Holy 
Scripture,  are  much  to  be  deplored,  and  the  condition  of  mind 
in  which  they  are  entertained  is  most  pitiable  to  view.  For 
instance  : — It  is  represented  that  the  all-wise  Creator,  in  the 
first  instance,  moulded  and  fashioned  an  inanimate  statue  on 
the  surface  of  the  earth  ;  of  moistened  earth,  or,  in  plain 
words,  of  mud.  (The  playful  ways  of  little  children,  in  form¬ 
ing  clay  dolls  may  have  suggested  the  thought) .  It  is  repre- 

3* 


30 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


sented,  that,  this  cold  and  inanimate  image  lay  on  the  surface 
of  the  earth  ;  and  that  the  Creator  breathed  out  of  II is  own 
eternal  being,  a  portion  of  His  own  immortal  life  into  the 
nostrils  of  this  moulded  clay;  and  that  (though  before  this 
there  was  no  man  at  all ,  yet)  by  this  divine  emanation,  “  the 
man”  became  an  immortal  spirit,  a  spark  of  the  Divinity,  a 
partaker  of  the  life  and  immortality  of  God. — “  The  Lord 
knoweth  the  thoughts  of  the  wise ;  that  they  are  vain  ” 

But  the  order  of  the  Adamic  formation  includes  also  the 
personal  evolution  and  formation  of  the  woman.  The  man¬ 
ner  of  this  mystery  is  in  accordance  with  the  evolution  and 
formation  of  the  man.  The  incipient  evolution  of  the  woman 
took  place  within  the  man,  and  “  she  was  taken  out  of  the 
man  ;”  even  as  the  man  had  been  created  and  evolved  within 
the  earth,  and  was  taken  out  of  the  earth.  This  mystery, 
Moses  has  recorded  ;  but  his  record  is  greatly  obscured  by  the 
use  of  the  word  “rib,”  in  the  Received  English  Version  ;  and 
by  the  popular  and  puerile  conceits  that  are  consequently  enter¬ 
tained.  The  particulars  of  the  record  are  these  : — “And 
Jehovah  Eloheem  caused  a  deep  sleep  to  fall  upon  the  Adam, 
and  he  slept :  and  lie  took  one*  from  out  of  iiis  sir>E,f  and 
enclosed  flesh  instead  thereof :  and  that  very  substance 
(etii) — from  out  of — the  side,  (iia-tzeh-lah)  which  Je¬ 
hovah  Eloheem  had  taken  out  of  the  Adam,  He  builded  to  a 
woman,  and  brought  her  to  the  Adam.”  Gen.  2  :  21,  22. 

The  soul  of  the  man  had  been  created  out  of  nothing,  and 

*  “  one  — ah— ciiath,  the  feminine  of  aii-ciiad,  one,  an  only  one. 

f  “  OUT  OF  HIS  SIDE  - MITZLOII-THAHYOU  ;  fl'Om  TZEH-LAnG,  with 

the  prefix,  signifying,  from  out  of.  The  noun,  tzeh-la“g,  means,  a  side 
or  lateral  extremity.  In  the  Greek  of  the  Septuagint,  it  is  represented 
by  the  word  pleura,  which  has  the  same  general  meaning  and  intent. 
And  even  the  Latin  word  costa  as  used  in  the  Vulgate, — from  which  the 
English  Version  has  the  word  “rib” — even  this  word  costa  properly 
signifies  a  side,  from  the  idea  of  extension ;  and  so  it  means  a  coast. 
The  true  idea  of  the  Hebrew  record  is — from  out  of  the  side  of  the 
abdomen. 


WITAT  IS  MAN  ? 


31 


the  soul  of  the  woman  was  evolved  out  of  the  soul  of  the 
man  ;  and  a  mystery  was  performed  within  the  man ,  similar 
to  that  whereby  the  created  soul  of  the  man  was  enveloped  in 
its  globular  vesicle,  and  furnished  with  its  germ  cell,  and  was 
evolved  in  the  first  stage  of  his  embryo  being.  The  embryo 
woman  was  first  evolved  within  the  man  ;  and,  in  this  incipi¬ 
ent  state,  “  she  was  taken  out  of  the  man and,  by  an 
especial  mode  of  mysterious  working,  she  was  fashioned  and 
matured  by  the  Creator ;  and  was  presented  to  the  man,  in 
the  perfection  of  psychical  beauty,  and  living  loveliness  ;  to  be 
his  bride.  The  genus  Adam  was  then  evolved.  Gen.  1:  27. 

II.  Man  is  a  mortal  being ;  by  reason  of  sin. 

In  his  primeval  state,  man  was  innocent  and  “very  good.” 
His  heart  and  mind  reflected  the  innocency  and  benevolence 
of  heaven  :  and  in  his  outward  presence,  he  was  the  master¬ 
piece  of  the  divine  wisdom  and  power  on  earth.  In  his 
governmental  relations  towards  the  inferior  creatures,  he  was 
the  shadow  and  representative  of  God  :  and,  in  his  own  moral 
relations  towards  God,  he  stood  a  responsible  being;  neither 
controlled  by  necessity,  nor  possessed  of  a  self-determining 
power  ;  (the  conceit  of  which  metaphysicians  have  invented, 
and  called  11  the  will ;”)  but  he  was  constituted  to  be  swayed 
by  motives ,  having  an  operative  force  within  him  ;  but  being 
derived  and  excited  from  without  him.  Being  a  proper  subject 
of  the  moral  government  of  God,  man  was  placed  under  pro¬ 
bation,  and  his  loyalty  was  tested  and  put  to  the  proof,  by 
means  of  a  prohibitory  command,  that  was  consonant  with  his 
state  and  surroundings,  and  was  easy  to  be  observed  : — “  But 
of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  thou  shalt  not  eat 
of  it :  for  in  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely 
die.”  The  motive  which,  in  this  way,  was  presented  or  ex¬ 
cited  was  the  constitutional  love  of  life  with  which  man  was 
endued  ;  and  the  premonition  given,  was  the  penal  sanction 
of  the  divine  law.  When  thus  placed  under  probation,  man 
possessed  a  life  unsubject  to  death,  He  was  adapted  to  live 


32 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


forever.  Though  not  immortal,  he  was  capable  of  living  to 
perpetuity  :  and  this  constitutional  life,  possessed  as  the  gift 
of  his  Creator,  he  held,  unsubject  to  death  ;  on  the  sole  con¬ 
dition  of  non-disobedience  to  the  prohibitory  command,  which 
his  Creator  had  imposed.  The  words  of  the  premonition 
made  known  to  him,  that  on  the  very  day  on  which  he  would 
eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  forbidden  tree,  his  life  would  be  for¬ 
feited  to  the  justice  of  God  ;  and,  so,  would  b e  judicially  lost. 
He  was  not  told  that  he  should  actually  die  on  that  day ;  but 
that  on  that  day  his  life  would  no  longer  be  his  own  ;  and 
that,  subsequently,  he  should  most  certainly  die.  The  penal 
words  of  the  premonition  are  these  : — moth  ta-mooth.  The 
order  and  quality  of  the  words  are  these  : — first ,  the  infinitive, 
to  die  ;  and  then ,  the  future,  thou  shalt  die  :  and  the  gram¬ 
matical  rule^which  governs,  in  this  case,  is  made  sufficiently 
plain  in  these  words  :  “  The  infinitive  is  often  joined  with  a 
finite  verb  of  the  same  sense.  And  when  the  infinitive  pre¬ 
cedes,  then,  intensity  and  certainty  is  denoted.  But  if  an 
infinitive  follow ,  then  continuation  and  repetition  is  implied. ” 
Now,  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  in  the  premonition  given  to 
man,  as  shown  above,  the  infinitive  does  precede  the  future; 
and  this  order  in  the  words,  moth  ta-mootii,  is  intended  to 
express  the  ideas  of  intensity  and  certainty ;  as  contrasted 
with  the  ideas  of  continuation  and  repetition.  The  same 
identical  Hebrew  phrase  occurs,  either  in  the  second,  or  in 
the  third  person,  about  forty  times  ;  and  with  the  same  mean¬ 
ing  and  intent.  And  in  Solomon’s  decree  concerning  Shimei, 
the  same  usage  is  observed,  as  to  the  words,  “  on  the  day.” 
(See  1  Kings,  2:  37,  42.)  But  Shimei  did  not  die  on  the 
day  that  he  went  out  and  passed  over  the  brook  Kidron,  nor 
for  a  number  of  days  after  that ;  but  on  that  very  day  he  for¬ 
feited  his  life;  and  the  judicial  decree  of  Solomon  being 
“certain,”  in  the  due  course  of  law  and  justice  he  died  the 
death  of  which  he  had  been  forewarned.  Even  so,  man  for¬ 
feited  his  constitutional  life,  to  the  law  and  justice  of  God,  on 


WTIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


83 


the  very  clay  on  which  he  disobeyed  God ;  by  eating  of  the 
forbidden  tree.  He  was  long  respited  ;  but  the  premonition 
was  explicit,  the  judicial  decree  was  certain,  and  the  death 
must  ensue. 

Death ,  as  to  its  origin  and  cause,  is  one  of  “  the  works  of 
the  devil.”  The  Tempter,  first  approached  the  woman  :  and 
he  insinuated  in  the  way  of  a  question,  a  dark  suspicion  of 
the  goodness  of  God.  Tie  then  assumed  greater  boldness, 
and  dared  to  call  iu  question,  and  to  deny  openly,  the  veracity 
and  uprightness  of  God.  And  while  so  doing,  he  said  unto 
the  woman,  “you  shall  not  surely  die:  For  Eloheem  doth 
know  that  on  the  day  you  eat  thereof,  then  your  eyes  shall  be 
opened ;  and  you  shall  be  as  Eloheem,  knowing  good  and 
evil.”  In  this  way,  the  tempter  taught  that  the  first  human 
pair  were  as  God,  in  immortality ;  and  that  for  sinister 
reasons,  they  had  been  placed  under  law,  lest  they  should 
become  as  God  in  knowledge  also.  To  calumniate  God,  and 
to  ruin  man,  he  dared  to  introduce  and  to  urge  the  delusive 
doctrine  of  the  inherent  immortality  of  man.  He  dared  to 
make  “God  a  liar,”  saying  unto  the  woman,  “  No  death  (lo- 
Moth)  you  shall  not  die.”  And  lo-moth,  is,  athanatos  or 
athanasia,  in  the  Greek,  and  is  “immortality,”  in  the  English  : 
aud  so  the  first  assertion  of  the  tempter  uttered  in  human 
ears,  was  immortality — “  you  shall  not  die ;  hut  are  im¬ 
mortal  even  as  God!”  In  this  way  he  laid  in  utter  repose 
and  quiescence,  the  constitutional  love  of  life  with  which  the 
human  soul  had  been  endued  of  God,  and  to  which  the  pre¬ 
monition  of  God  had  appealed.  The  woman  believed  the 
doctrine  of  inherent,  human  immortality,  and  was  beguiled, 
deceived,  and  disobeyed  God.  “Adam  was  not  deceived.” 
(1  Tim.  2  :  14.)  He  knew  that  the  doctrine  of  the  tempter 
was  false.  His  own  acquaintance  with  the  fact  of  his  crea¬ 
tion,  assured  him  it  was  false.  He  was  self-possessed  in  his 
mind,  but  by  the  instigation  of  the  tempter,  through  the  law 
and  the  fact  of  his  having  been  forbidden  to  acquire,  “the 


34 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


knowledge  of  good  and  evil” — lie  became  estranged  in  heart 
from  God ;  and  in  heart  became  rebellious  against  God,  and 
with  lawlessness  he  disobeyed  God.  And  on  the  day  of  his 
disobedience  he  was  arraigned,  and  judged,  and  condemned. 

On  that  day  a  three-fold  judgment  was  pronounced  of  God; 
on  the  temper,  physical  degradation  in  time,  and  destruction 
at  the  endir  (his  head  shall  be  crushed)  and  on  the  woman, 
subjection,  and  maternal  throes ;  and  on  the  man,  toilsome 
labor  and  utter  death.  To  him,  the  judicial  decree  of  God 
was  thus  denounced  :  “  In  the  sweat  of  thy  face  shalt  thou  eat 
bread,  till  thou  return  into  the  earth  ;  for  out  of  it  (mimenha 
. — out  of  that  sort  of  origin)  wast  thou  taken  :  for  dust 
("gah-tiiar,  elemental  atoms)  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  (ele¬ 
mental  atoms)  shalt  thou  return.”  (Gen.  3  :  14-19.)  In 
this  sentence  pronounced  on  the  man,  the  fact  of  his  personal 
origin,  out  of  the  earth,  is  embodied  ;  and  the  force  of  the 
penal  words  of  the  premonition,  which  he  had  received,  is 
plainly  and  convincingly  shown. 

The  banishment  of  the  first  human  pair  from  the  garden  of 
Eden,  and  the  reasons  assigned  for  their  exile,  serve  to  deepen 
our  conviction  of  the  intent,  and  the  extent  of  the  judicial 
decree  that  had  been  pronounced  of  God.  The  record  is 
this  : — “And  Jehovah  Eloheem  said,  The  Adam  has  become 
as  one  of  us,  to  know  good  and  evil :  and  now  lest  he  put 
forth  his  hand,  and  take  also  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  eat  and 
live  eorever.  Therefore,  Jehovah  Eloheem  sent  him  forth 
from  the  garden  of  Eden  to  till  the  earth  out  of  which  he  was 
taken.  So  He  expelled  the  Adam :  (the  generic  pair)  and 
lie  en tabernacled,  (vah-yesh-keen)  at  the  east  of  the  garden 
of  Eden,  the  cherubim,  and  a  flaming  sword  which  turned 
every  way  (a  self -rotating  fire  with  sword  like  flames)  to 
keep  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life that  is,  as  sentinels  ever  on 
the  watch.  Gen.  3  :  22,  24.)  In  this  way,  God  rendered  it 
impossible  that  man  should  “  live  for  ever,”  and  made  sure 
the  final  execution  of  the  sentence  of  utter  death. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


35 


III.  Man — the  race  of  Adam — is  born  of  “corruptible  seed  ” 

The  apostle  Peter  contrasts  the  spiritual  generation  of 
“  the  children  of  God,”  with  the  natural  or  psychical  genera¬ 
tion  of  “the  children  of  men.”  Concerning  those  who  are 
“  born  of  the  Spirit,”  he  says,  “  Being  born  again,  not  of  cor¬ 
ruptible  seed,  but  of  incorruptible  :”  (1  Peter,  1  :  23 ;)  and, 
in  this  way  he  indicates  the  truth  that,  the  children  of  men 
are  born  of  “corruptible  seed.”  We  have  shown  that  the 
soul  is,  essentially,  the  man :  and,  so,  the  soul  is,  essentially 
the  seed  in  which  the  man  originates,  and  from  which  he  is 
born.  The  souls  of  the  offspring  of  man,  are  derived  from 
man.  They  are  generated  by  the  paternal  parentage  :  as  it 
is  written,  “  And  all  the  souls  that  came  out  of  the  loins  of 
Jacob  were  seventy  souls.”  (Exod.  1:  5.)  And  concerning 
Levi  it  is  said,  by  Paul,  that  he  was  in  the  loins  of  his  fore - 
father  Abraham,  when  Melchizedec  met  him.  (Heb.  7  :  9, 
10.)  Such  is  the  uniform  testimony  of  the  word  of  God  :  and 
by  the  modern  discoveries  of  science  in  the  department  of 
Physiology,  men  are  now  beginning  to  understand  that  which 
has  been  taught  from  the  first,  in  every  department  of  the 
inspired  Book. 

The  microscopic  spermatozoon  in  which  the  man  is  origi¬ 
nated,  and  from  which  he  is  born,  contains  within  its  mys¬ 
terious  minuteness  the  vital  and  active  immaterial  principle, 
that  is  essentially  the  future  man  ;  being  the  soul  of  the  future 
man.  By  virtue  of  the  laws  of  psychical  evolution,  this  soul 
becomes  evolved  and  embodied,  in  the  process  of  gestation  ; 
and,  in  due  time,  a  child  is  born  ;  and  is  progressively  mani¬ 
fested  in  the  babe,  the  youth  and  the  man.  And  it  is  a  fact 
well  known  in  the  science  of  physiology,  that  at  the  moment 
of  each  one  conception  there  are  very  many  spermatozoa 
present,  and  also  that  each  spermatozoon  present,  contains 
within  itself  the  seminal  principle  of  a  human  being — in  a 
word,  that  which  is  essentially  an  immaterial  soul ;  and  that 
excepting  the  one  that  becomes  the  embryo  infant,  all  these 


•36 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


vital  seminal  souls,  soon  die  and  perish  and  are  no  more. 
And  it  is  also  very  well  known  that' thousands  and  millions 
of  embryo  infants,  die  and  perish  in  the  womb  before  they  are 
born.  These  all  are  facts  that  cannot  be  denied,  and  they 
serve  to  illustrate  the  scriptural  truth,  that  the  children  of 
men  are  “born  of  corruptible  seed.”  The  truth  of  this  was 
properly  understood  in  ancient  times ;  and  was  confessed  by 
Job,  in  these  words  : — “I  have  said  to  corruption,  thou  art 
my  father.”  (Job,  It  :  14.)  And  he  must  be  a  puerile 
thinker,  who  could  suppose  that,  “  the  human  body  is  pro¬ 
duced  in  the  womb,  without  the  presence  and  formative 
activities  of  the  human  soul ;  and  that  the  entrance  of  the 
{material)  atmosphere  into  the  lungs  of  the  new-born  babe 
is  that  whereby  the  babe  is  endued  with  an  immaterial  and 
immortal  soul.”  And  he  must  be  an  inconsiderate  man  who 
could  believe  and  say,  that,  “the  Lord  God  creates  by  a  new 
and  separate  act  of  creation — a  soul  for  every  child  that  is 
begotten,  and  conceived,  and  born ;  and  that,  in  this  way,  the 
Holy  God  co-operates,  even,  with  the  incontinence  of  “  the 
adulterer  and  the  whore.”  And  he  must  be  a  teacher  of 
“strange  doctrines”  who  can  believe  and  teach  that,  “an  im¬ 
mortal  soul  proceeds  from  God,  by  emanation — a  portion  of 
the  life  of  the  Lord  God,  and  coming  down  from  heaven, 
comes  into  the  world  in  every  living  child  that  is  born  ;  and 
from  the  dawn  of  reason,  at  least,  that  soul — that  portion  of 
the  life  of  the  Lord  God — becomes  a  sinful  soul,  estranged 
from  holiness  and  heaven  ;  having  a  heart  and  mind  that  ‘is 
enmity  to  God  ’ ;  and,  being  obnoxious  to  the  wrath  of  God, 
will  very  probably  be  hated  and  tortured  of  God,  with  incon¬ 
ceivable  torture  for  evermore.” 

I V.  God’s  estimate  of  man  is  both  literally  and  figuratively 
expressed. 

We  will  not  here  enlarge  upon  the  declared  truth  of  man’s 
exceeding  sinfulness  : — that  he  is  “  shapen  in  iniquity  and 
conceived  in  sin,”  (Ps.  51  :  5,)  that  he  has  a  heart  that  is 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


37 

exceedingly  weak  and  evil;  (Jer.  17:  9;  Mark  7  :  20-23;) 
and  that  he  is  “sold  under  sin,”  (Rom.  7  :  14,)  and  is  a  very 
vassal  of  Satan,  (Acts  26:  18  ;  Eph.  2  :  2,)  and  has,  by  nature, 
a  mind  that  is  absolute  “enmity  to  God.”  (Rom.  8:  7.)  We 
will  not  now  exhibit  the  dark  features  of  man’s  moral 
portraiture  as  sketched  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  upon  the  pages 
of  the  inspired  Rook  ;  but  we  will  notice  God’s  revealed 
estimate  of  man,  as  a  physical  and  psychical  being — his 
mortality  and  consequent  frailty  and  evanescent  state. 

1.  For  example  : — even  the  generic  name  of  the  race  is 
significant  of  the  earth,  as  contrasted  with  heaven  ;  but  the 
historic  name  of  the  race,  which  is  enosh,  is  significant  of 
mortality ,  as,  contrasted  with  man’s  first  estate.  It  denotes 
the  frailty  and  worthlessness  of  man,  and  is  the  name  com¬ 
monly  given  to  the  human  race.  It  occurs  about  five 
hundred  times,  in  the  Hebrew  text;  and  signifies  a  feeble  and 
wretched  mortal:  as  it  is  said,  “shall  mortal  man  be  more 

.  just  than  God?”  (Job,  4:  7.)  The  phrase  here  rendered, 
“mortal  man,”  is  ha  enosh,  the  mortal;  and  no  one  would 
say  that,  the  question  in  the  text  relates  to  the  body  of  man. 
It  is  the  man  himself  that  is  called  the  mortal .* 

2.  The  figures  of  speech  used  to  express  God’s  estimate  of 
man  are  various.  For  instance  : — Men  are  compared  to 
grass-hoppers  (Isa.  40:  22,)  and  to  worms;  (Isa.  41  :  14;) 

•  and  this  latter  comparison,  Job  appropriates,  thus :  “I  have 
said  to  the  worm,  Thou  art  my  mother  and  my  sister.”  (Job 
17  :  14.)  And  how  impressively  does  the  humility  and  the 
truth,  expressed  in  the  words  of  Job,  contrast,  with  the  pride 
and  falsehood,  put  forth  in  the  presumptuous  boast,  that, 
“man  is  allied  to  angels — is  allied  to  God.” 

Man  is  compared  to  grass  ;  (Isa.  40  :  6-8  ;  1  Peter  1  ^  24, 

*  There  is  another  term,  used  only  in  the  plural,  and  •which  more 
literally  describes  men  as  being  mortals :  it  is  the  word,  m’theem  ;  and 
is  derived  fi  o;n  mooth,  to  be  dead ;  and  is  used  to  signify  that  men  are 
mortal  from  their  nature. 


4 


38 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


25,)  and  to  dead,  dry,  worthless  chaff.  (Ps.  1:4;  Matth. 
3:  12.)  And  David  declares,  saying,  “verily,  every  man,  at 
his  best  state,  is  altogether  vanity.  Surely,  every  man 
walketh  in  a  vain  show.”  (Ps.  39:  5,  6.)  The  Hebrew 
term  which  is  here  represented  by  the  words  “a  vain  show,” 
is  tzeh-lem,  and  means  an  image  or  shadow.  It  is  the  same 
word  that  is  used  in  Gen.  1 :  25,  26.  It  has  the  meaning  and 
intent  of  signifying  that  which  is  not  in  reality  what  it  seems 
to  be.  When  man  was  first  created  and  made,  he  was  made 
only  in  the  tzeh-lem,  the  image  or  shadow  of  God.  To  the 
limited  intelligence  of  the  inferior  creatures,  he  seemed  to  be 
supreme,  but  his  dominion  was  only  the  shadow  of  the 
supremacy  of  God.  And  now  man  is  only  in  the  image  of  his 
former  self,  is, — only  the  shadow  of  the  relative  worth  and 
dignity,  that  at  the  first,  pertained  to  him,  as  the  innocent 
creature  of  God,  who  was  then  adapted  to  live  for  evermore. 

We  have  but  briefly  noticed,  God’s  estimate  of  the  frailty 
and  vanity  of  mortal  man  ;  but  enough  has  been  adduced  to 
■^sliow  what  man  is  in  the  estimation  of  God.  And  how 
exceedingly  proper  it  was,  when  the  the  adorable  Son  of  God 
had  become  incarnate,  that  he  should  respond  on  earth,  to  the 
estimate  of  man  which  is  held  in  heaven  ;  and  that,  addressing 
God,  the  Father,  he  should  say,  “  When  I  consider  thy 
heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fingers  ;  the  moon  and  the  stars 
which  thou  hast  ordained ;  what  is  man  that  thou  art  mind¬ 
ful  of  him ?  and  the  son  of  man,  that  thou  visitest  him?” 
and  let  every  one,  who  appreciates  the  infinite  greatness  and 
condescension  of  God,  bow  the  head,  and  devoutly  say,  Amen. 

The  creation  of  man  was  the  execution  of  an  eternal  pur¬ 
pose  in  the  mind  of  God.  By  the  work  of  creation,  God 
conferred  the  boon  and  blessing  of  personal  life .  Man  was 
endued  with  various  faculties  and  powers  ;  and  for  each  of 
these  a  corresponding  object  was  provided  of  God.  The  man 
was  made  the  representative  possessor  and  lord  of  the  earth  : 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


39 


and  in  the  garden  of  Eden  was  the  bower  of  royalty,  for  him¬ 
self  and  his  bride.  All  that  man  became,  and  all  that  he 
possessed  had  been  freely  originated  and  bestowed  :  but  all 
was  conditionally  held  All  was  forfeitable  by  disobedience: 
and  by  actual  disobedience  all  was  forfeited  and  lost — the 
garden  of  Eden,  the  dominion  of  earth,  and  his  own  personal, 
constitutional  life — all  was  judicially  lost  on  the  day  on  which 
he  disobeyed.  He  was  respited  during  the  pleasure  of  his 
offended  Sovereign  ;  even  for  nine  hundred  and  thirty  years. 
But  he  was  debarred  from  “  the  tree  of  life,”  that  he  might 
not  live  forever  ;  but  that,  in  the  due  course  of  divine  law  and 
justice,  he  should  die  the  death  which  his  righteous  judge  had 
denounced.  And  in  the  forfeiture  and  loss,  which  he — the 
generic  head  or  race-man — had  incurred,  his  whole  prospec¬ 
tive  race  was,  psychically  and  physically  and  judicially,  in¬ 
volved.  For  “by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and 
death  by  sin  ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all 
have  sinned:”  (Rom.  5  :  12;)  “or,  in  whom  all  have  sinned:” 
or,  more  literally,  “upon  the  principle  that  all  have  sinned.” 
All  were  in  him — as  the  origin  of  their  essential  or  psychical 
being — when  he  disobeyed  God  ;  and  out  of  him,  all  are 
evolved.  And  it  is  upon  this  principle  of  generic  headship, 
and  generic  sin,  that  death  has  passed  upon  all  men,  or  that 
all  men  are  mortal. 

It  has  been  correctly  said  that,  “  the  chief  end  of  man  is,  to 
glorify  God,  and  enjoy  Him,  for  ever.”  But  man,  by  his  dis¬ 
obedience,  contravened  the  chief  end  of  his  existence,  in  as 
far  as  both  himself  and  his  race  are  concerned  ;  and  in  as  far 
as  it  was  possible  for  him  so  to  do.  The  purpose  of  God,  in 
the  human  creation,  was  apparently  frustrated,  by  the  diso¬ 
bedience  of  the  first  man  :  but  that  divine  purpose  was  far 
deeper  and  higher  than  did  at  first  appear :  and  the  fall  of 
man,  and  his  consequent  mortality,  became  the  occasion  of 
that  eternal  purpose  being  progressively  made  known  ;  and 
even  the  occasion  of  its  being  fulfilled.  For  it  is  the  eternal 


40 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


purpose  of  God  that  the  genus  Adam  shall  “ live  forever” 
shall  he  immortal.  The  race  as  viewed  in  the  first  man  Adam 
and  involved  by  generation  in  his  sinfulness  and  mortality, 
and  finally,  in  his  doom,  shall  die  and  perish;  but  the  genus 
Adam  as  viewed  in  “the  second  man,”  who  is  also,  “the  last 
Adam,”  “shall  live  for  ever,”  because  He  lives. 

But  now,  who  and  what  is  “the  second  man  ?”  His  name 
is  Jesus  ;  and  he  was  known  on  earth  as  “  Jesus  the  Nazarene 
who  was  born  in  a  stable  and  cradled  in  a  manger ;  the  sup¬ 
posed  son  of  a  poor  carpenter,  and  who  labored  as  a  carpenter, 
for  daily  bread. 

But  who  and  what  is  the  second  man  ?  To  this  question, 
men  have  offered  a  reply,  and  God  has  supplied  an  answer. 
When  he  was  on  earth,  there  were  various  opinions  concern¬ 
ing  him  :  and  after  he  was  glorified  in  heaven,  men  reasoned 
and  speculated  concerning  him.  The  Gnostics,  who  claimed 
to  have  superlative  intelligence,  as  their  appellation  implies, 
and  who  admired  the  “oriental  philosophy” — these  Gnostics , 
in  the  first  century,  said  that,  the  Christ  was  one  of  a  myriad 
of  aions,  which  constituted  the  pleeroma  or  fullness  of  the 
Deity  ;  and  that  Jesus  was  only  an  appearance  or  phantasma  ; 
or  if  a  man  at  all — as  some  of  them  said  he  was — the  aidn, 
Christ,  an  inferior  God,  descended  into  him  at  his  baptism, 
and  abandoned  him,  when  he  hung  on  the  cross.  Sabellius,  a 
philosopher  of  Egypt,  in  the  third  century,  said  that,  Jesus 
was  a  man  in  whom  “the  Word,”  a  virtue  or  emanation,  or 
function  of  the  Deity,  was  present  and  did  operate.  Ay'ius , 
a  presbyter  of  the  church  in  Alexandria,  in  Egypt,  in  the 
fourth  century,  said  that,  Jesus  was  the  incarnation  of  a 
created  being ;  inferior  (of  course)  to  God,  in  nature  and 
dignity,  but  the  first  and  noblest  of  all  creatures — in  a  word, 
a  super-angelic  being.  And*  Socinus,  a  native  of  Sienna  in 
Tuscany,  in  the  sixteenth  century,  said  that,  Jesus  was  a  mere 
man,  even  as  other  men  are  ;  but  that  he  had  a  special  mission 
from  God;  to  fulfill  in  his  day. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


41 


Such  are  the  leading  opinions  that  men  have  formed  and 
uttered  concerning  Jesus,  “the  second  man:”  and  we  have 
now  indicated  the  prototypes  of  all  who,  at  the  present  time, 
call  themselves  “  Unitarian  Teachers  ”* — even  of  every  anti¬ 
christ  and  teacher  of  antichristian  doctrine — the  fore-runners 
of  tiie  antichrist  ;  (1  Jno.  2 :  IS,  22  ;)  who  is  to  be  revealed  ; 
and  whom  the  nations  of  the  world  will  receive. 

When  Jesus  was  upon  the  earth,  “he  asked  his  disciples, 
saying,  Whom  do  men  say  that  I  the  Son  of  man,  am  ?  And 
they  said,  some  ( say  that  thou  art)  John  the  Baptist;  some, 
Elias;  and  others  Jeremias,  or  one  of  the  prophets.  Ite 
saith  unto  them,  But  whom  say  you  that  I  am  ?  And  Simon 
Peter  answered  and  said,  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 
living  God.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Blessed 
art  thou,  Simon  Barjona  :  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not 
revealed  this  to  thee,  but  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven.” — The 
knowledge  and  faith  which  Peter  expressed  is  indeed  of  super¬ 
human  and  divine  origin.  Peter  confessed  Jesus  to  be  the 
Christ,  the  grand  theme  of  anciently  inspired  prediction  and 
promise — “  the  child  born  and  Son  given,  on  whose  shoulder 
the  government  should  be  borne,  and  whose  name  should  be 
called,  Wonderful,  Counselor,  Mighty  God,  (Ehl-Gib-bohr) 
Eternal  Founder,  (Anvi-nGAD)  Prince  of  peace.”  (Isa.  9:  6.) 
Of  Him,  Jeremiah  testified,  saying,  “  This  is  his  name  where¬ 
by  he  shall  be  called — yeiio-yaii  tzidkenu — Jehovah-our- 
Righteousness.  (Jer.  23  :  6.)  Miclia  predicted  that  He 
should  be  born,  as  man,  in  Bethlehem  ;  and  testified,  that  his 


*  The  Lord  seeks  out  and  rescues  the  objects  of  his  grace — calls  out 
his  own — from  among  the  so-called  “  Unitarians’’  even  as  He  calls  his 
own  in  the  midst  of  many,  who,  while  they  do  not  deny  the  truth  of 
His  personal  Deity,  do  deny  the  revealed  reality  of  His  saving  grace. 
Many  who  once — “ignorantly  in  unbelief” — professed,  and  some  who 
taught,  the  antichristian  doctrines  of  “  Unitarianism”  have  been  called 
out  by  the  grace  of  Christ,  to  the  true  confession  of  Him.  Blessed  be 
Bis  name ! 


4* 


42 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


“  goings  forth  have  been  from  old — from  everlasting.”  (Mic. 
5:2.)  And  Zechariah  anticipating  the  hour  in  which  Ite 
shall  come  again — and  in  glory  then — testifies  of  Him,  saying 
“Jehovah  my  God  shall  come  and  all  the  saints  with  thee.” 
(Zech.  14  :  4.) 

Such,  and  such  like,  is  the  predictive  testimony  to  which 
Peter  referred,  when  he  confessed  Jesus  to  be  “  the  Christ 
and  the  other  title  by  which  he  confessed  who,  and  what 
Jesus  is,  was  to  the  same  intent : — “the  Son  of  the  living 
God” — ho  whyos  tou  Theou  zontos.  According  to  the 
genius  and  idiomatic  usage  of  the  Hebrew  language  the  term 
beiin — which  in  the  Greek  is  represented  by  the  term  whyos, 
and  in  the  English  by  the  word,  “  Son” — is  used  as  a  term  of 
quality,  when  used  to  entitle  or  to  describe  a  person,  or  thing. 
Hence  a  “  son  of  wickedness,”  means  a  wicked  person ,  and  a 
“ fruitful  hill”  is  called  a  son  of  oil ;  and  the  “sons  of  cap¬ 
tivity”  are  captive  persons ;  and  a  “  son  of  wisdom,”  means 
a  wise  person.  Such  is  the  usage  ;  and  according  to  it 
the  epithet  or  title,  “  Son,”  represents  the  idea  of  quality,  or 
nature,  and  not  the  idea  of  derivation.  This  being  so,  the 
Jews,  properly  and  perfectly,  understood  Jesus,  to  claim  and 
assert  personal  and  essential  Deity,  when  he  said,  “  I  am  the 
Son  of  God  :”  and  they  “  took  up  stones  to  stone  him ;”  and 
they  sought  to  justify  the  act,  saying,  “  Because  that  thou 
being  man,  makest  thyself  God.”  The  title  by  which  Jesus 
most  commonly  spoke  of  himself  was,  “  the  Son  of  man  ;”  and 
the  specific  intent  of  this  was  to  claim  and  assert,  his  true 
manhood,  or  that,  in  accordance  with  ancient  prediction, 
he  had  become  real  man :  and  so  when  he  said,  “  I  am  the 
Son  of  God”  he  claimed  and  asserted  his  own  true  Deity,  or 
that  he  is  real  or  essential  God — one  with  the  Father,  by 
whom  he  had  been  sent  into  the  world.  And  so,  when  Peter 
confessed  him  to  be  “  the  Son  of  the  living  God,”*  he  cou- 


*  The  words,  whyos  tou  Theou;  without  the  definite  article  before 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


48 


fcssed  Jesus  to  possess  an  essential  sameness  of  nature  with 
him  whose  title  is  “  the  living  God.” 

Paul,  echoing  the  strains  of  David,  declares  Jesus  to  be 
u  God (Heb.  1:8;  Ps  45  :  6,  7  ;)  and  he  announces  the 
great  “  mystery  of  godliness”  to  consist  in  a  true  belief  and 
confession  of  the  fundamental  fact  that  Jesus  is  God  ;  who 
was  manifested  in  the  flesh  ;  who  was  justified  in  the  Spirit ; 
who  was  seen  of  angels  ;  who  was  preached  among  Gentiles  ; 
who  was  believed  on  in  the  world  ;  who  was  received  up  in 
glory.  (1  Tim.  3  :  16  )  John  declares  Jesus  to  be  “  The 
Word  who  was  in  beginning  with  God,  and  who  was  God;” 
and  ascribes  to  him  the  creation  of  all  things,  (Jno.  1  :  1-3  ;) 
and  Paul  repeats  the  testimony  to  his  creative  might  and 
universal  works.  (Col.  1  :  16.)  And  when  showing  the 
proper  hope  of  all  true  Christians,  Paul  declares  it  to  be  “  that 
blessed  hope  ;  even  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God 
and  Saviour  of  us — Jesus  Christ.”  (Tit.  2  :  13.)  These  are 
but  a  few  of  the  recorded  testimonies,  found  in  the  inspired 
Book,  that  furnish  an  answer  to  the  question,  who  and  wiiat 
is  the  scond  man  ? 

We  now  proceed  to  consider  the  eternal  purpose  of  God, 
in  the  human  creation  ;  which  purpose  was  apparently  frus¬ 
trated,  but  shall  certainly  be  fulfilled.  It  is  the  eternal  and 
immutable  purpose  of  God,  to  give  eternal  life  and  embodied 
immortality  to  sinful  and  mortal  men.  The  genus  Adam 
shall  he  immortal. 

whyos ,  are  used  to  denote  the  Divine  quality — the  personal  Deity — of 
Jesus.  They  are  thus  both  abstractly  and  adjcctively  used:  and  when 
these  words  are  used  with  the  definite  article,  thus  :  ho  ivhyos  ton  Theou, 
tliej-e  is  a  direct  and  understood  reference  to  the  testimony  of  ancient 
prediction,  concerning  the  Divine  Person  who  should  become  incarnate 
— the  “  Son  •”  that  should  be  given.  Examples  of  this  are  found  in  the 
testimony  of  John  the  Baptist ;  (John  1 ;  34  ;)  in  the  confession  made  by 
Nathaniel,  (Jno.  1 :  50  ;)  in  the  question  of  the  Lord  to  the  man  whose 
eyes  he  had  opened;  (John  9  :  35  ;)  and  in  the  confession  made  by  Peter 
which  has  now  been  brought  into  view. 


44 


WHAT  IS  MAX  ? 


1.  This  purpose  of  the  Father  is  to  be  accomplished  through 
the  incarnation  of  the  Son. 

It  is  written,  “  The  first  man  Adam  became  unto  a  living 
soul ;  the  last  Adam  ( [became )  unto  a  life  giving  Spirit.” 
(Gen.  2  :  I  ;  1  Cor.  15  :  45.)  Both  the  incarnation  and  the 
resurrection  of  the  Son  of  God  are  here  in  view.  But  the 
particular  point  to  be  now  observed  is  the  antithesis  presented. 
The  psychical  quality  of  the  first  man  Adam  and  his  race,  is 
contrasted  with  the  spiritual  quality  of  the  last  Adam,  and 
the  order  which  pertains  to  Him.  And  so  it  is  written,  “The 
first  man  is  out  of  the  earth,  earthy  :  the  second  man  is  the 
Lord  out  of  heaven.  As  is  the  earthy  (Adam)  such  are  they 
also  that  are  earthy  :  and  as  is  the  heavenly  (Adam)  such  are 
they  also  that  are  heavenly.”  (1  Cor.  15  :  47,  48.)  Here 
the  terrestrial  origin  and  quality  of  the  psychical  race,  is,  for 
a  specific  purpose,  contrasted  with  the  celestial  origin  and 
quality  of  the  spiritual  order.  The  contrastive,  moral  quali¬ 
ties  of  these  contrasted  classes  are  elsewhere  fully  shown  :  but 
here,  the  actual  contrast  of  substantial  natures,  and  consti¬ 
tutional  states  is  the  prominent  truth.  The  first  man  was 
“  the  earthy,”  when  he  was  first  taken  out  of  the  earth ;  as 
really  as  he  was  “  the  earthy”  after  he  had  disobeyed  God  : 
but  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  out  of  heaven — eternally 
celestial — essentially  Divine  :  and  the  foundation  truth  of  all 
true  Christianity,  and  of  all  human  salvation  is,  that  the  second 
man  is  the  “  Rock  of  Ages,”  the  living  and  immovable  Rock 
(Matth.  16:18  ;) — the  incarnate  Son  of  God,  one  in  eternal, 
immortal  Godhead,  with  the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 

In  the  first  man  we  admire  the  mystery  of  creation  :  but  in 
the  second  man  we  revere  the  far  greater  mystery  of  incarna¬ 
tion.  It  is  to  us — on  many  considerations — a  mystery  that 
God  should  have  created  man,  but  it  is  an  unspeakably  greater 
mystery,  that  God — in  the  person  of  the  Son — should  have 
become  man.  But  true  and  living  faith  delights  in  mystery , 
and  especially  in  the  great  mystery  of  godliness  and  of  God 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


45 


When  the  Son  of  God  had  become  man,  he  declared  the 
intent  of  his  incarnation,  and  his  mission  from  the  Father. 
For  instance  :  He  showed  the  benevolent  and  dispensational 
intent  for  which  he  came,  and  was  sent;  saying,  “For  God 
so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten*  Son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  terish,  but  have 
eternal  life  :”  (Jno.  3  :  16.) — “  This  is  the  bread  that 
cometh  down  from  Heaven,  that  a  man  may  eat  thereof,  and 
not  die  :  (Jno.  6  :  50.) — “  Whosoever  liveth  and  believeth 
in  me  shall  never  die.”  (Jno.  11  :  26.)  He  also  declared  the 
specific  purpose  for  which  he  became  man,  saying,  “  All  that 
the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me  :  and  him  that  cometh 
to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out :  for  I  came  down  from 
heaven,  not  to  do  mine  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that 
sent  me.  And  this  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  that  of 
all  which  he  hath  given  me  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should 
raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day.”  (Jno.  6  :  37-39.)  And 
concerning  those  whom  the  Father  gave  to  him,  and  whom 
he  calls  his  sheep,  he  has  said,  “  I  am  come  that  they  might 
have  life,  and  that  they  might  have  it  more  abundantly  — . 
“  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow 
me.  And  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life  ;  and  they  shall 

*  The  title  “  only  begotten,”  according  to  the  usage  of  Holy  Scrip¬ 
ture,  does  not  mean,  nor  is  it  intended  to  mean,  personal  generation  or 
derivation  of  personal  being.  The  Greek  phrase,  monogenees,  is  the 
scriptural  equivalent  of  the  Hebrew  term,  ah-chad,  which  means  one, 
an  only  one  ;  and  is  used  as  a  term  of  superlative  appreciation — of  pre¬ 
eminent  esteem  and  delight.  Hence  it  was  used  of  God  in  relation  to 
Isaac,  when  he  said  to  Abraham,  “  Take  now  thy  son,  thine  ah-chad, 
Isaac  (Gen.  22 :  2  ;)  and  Paul,  referring  to  the  conduct  of  Abraham, 
on  that  occasion  says,  that  “he  offered  up  his  only  begotten;”  (Ileb. 
11:  17;)  and,  in  so  saying,  Paul  uses  the  Greek,  monogenees ,  as  the 
adopted  equivalent  of  the  Hebrew,  aii-chad.  And  in  the  sense  and 
meaning  of  the  Father’s  superlative  and  infinite  appreciation,  confidence 
and  complacency,  the  epithet  or  title  monogenees ,  only-begotten,  is  in 
every  instance,  applied  to  the  Son  of  God 


46 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


never  perish,  neither  shall  any  one  pluck  them  out  of  my 
hand.  My  Father  who  gave  them  me,  is  greater  than  all, 
and  no  one  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father’s  hand. 
I  and  the  Father  are  one.  (Jno.  10  :  10,  27-30.) 

The  Son  of  God  came  to  give  life,  even  eternal  life  : 
and  if  it  be  asked,  “Who  will  live  forever  ?”  The  answer  of 
the  Lord  and  Giver  of  Life,  who  is  also  “  the  bread  of 
life,”  is  in  these  words  : — “  He  that  eateth  of  this  bread 
shall  live  forever.”  And  it  is  most  irreverent  and  evil  in 
any  man,  to  say  that,  in  the  vocabulary  of  the  Son  of  God, 
the  word,  zoeen  or  “life”  does  not  mean  life;  and  that  the 
words,  zoeen  aidnion,  or  “ eternal  life,”  do  not  mean,  eternal 
life ;  and  that  the  words,  zeesetai  eis  ton  aiona,  or  “ shall 
live  forever ,”  do  not  mean,  shall  live  forever.  And  yet,  in 
their  ecclesiastical  teaching,  certain  men  are  hurried  into  this 
kind  of  irreverence  and  evil  by  reason  of  their  having  adopted 
the  false  doctrine  of  the  innate  and  essential  immortality  of 
“  the  earthy”  race. 

2.  The  purpose  of  God,  to  give  eternal  life,  and  embodied 
immortality  to  sinful  and  mortal  men,  is  to  be  accomplished 
through  the  moral  victory  of  “the  second  man.” 

It  had  been  declared  of  old,  that  a  conflict  should  take 
place  between  the  wily  tempter,  and  the  woman’s  Seed  ;  and 
in  due  time  the  second  man  appeared.  By  the  mystery  of 
incarnation,  the  Lord  of  glory  became  the  woman’s  Seed. 
The  favor  and  honor  conferred  on  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary 
had  been  expressly  foretold ;  as  it  is  written,  “  Behold  the 
virgin  (ha-dGAL-mah)  shall  conceive  and  bare  a  son,  and  shall 
call  his  name  Immanuel  ”  (Isa.  7  :  14.)  And  again,  it  is 
written  “  Jehovah  hath  created  (or  originated  and  constituted) 
a  new  thing  oh  the  earth, — A  woman  shall  compass  a  man 
— a  female ,  (n’keh-vaii)  one  who  is  merely  such,  and  alone, 
shall  encompass  or  enclose  within  herself  a  male  child.  The 
word  geii-ver,  which  means  a  man,  means  also  one  who  is 
strong  and  valiant  and  victorious.  (Jer.  31  :  22.)  In  the 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


47 


mystery  of  the  Adamic  evolution  and  formation,  the  man 
encompassed  or  enclosed  within  himself  the  woman,  who  was, 
then,  evolved  out  of  him.  But  in  the  greater  mystery  of  the 
incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary 
encompassed  and  enclosed  within  herself  “the  second  man.” 
The  Lord  from  heaven,  became  “  man,  of  the  substance  of  his 
mother.”  His  human  soul  was  evolved  out  of  the  substance 
of  her  soul,  and  his  body  was  organized  of  her  coporeal  and 
maternal  secretions  :  and  this  deep  mystery  was  effected  by 
the  miraculous  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  thus  the  “  new 
thing”  was  originated  and  constituted  on  the  earth  ;  and  the 
blessed  Mary  became  the  mother  of  the  Lord — the  Lord  from 
heaven  became  truly  and  literally,  the  Woman’s  Seed.  He — 
“  who  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be 
equal  with  God” — condescended  to  become  the  second  man. 
To  this  end  he  emptied  himself  ( ekenose ,  Phil.  2  :  6-f)  of  his 
glorious  majesty  and  immensity  ;  and  self  circumscribed,  was 
encompassed  within  “  the  virgin’s  womb,”  and  was  born  of  her. 

He  was  in  very  deed  “  the  Holy  One  but  he  became  real 
man  ;  to  act  within  the  limits  of  the  humanity  which  he  had 
assumed.  He  was  man,  standing  always  in  moral  nearness  to 
God ;  but  he  was  feeble,  dependent,  passible  man.  He  became 
accessible  to  every  temptation  with  which  Satan  can  test  man. 
In  his  moral  conflict  with  the  adversary,  he  used  no  weapon 
except  “  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God:” 
and  he  wielded  this  weapon  with  no  other  arm  than  that  of  a 
human  faith  in  God.  The  “stripling”  David,  was  his  type  : 
and  his  adversary  was  the  Goliath  of  the  fallen  angels.  He 
“was  tempted  in  all  points  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin.” 
The  greater  temptations  sustained  by  him,  were  endured  in 
the  wilderness,  and  on  the  cross.  In  the  wilderness — when 
reduced  by  fasting,  to  the  lowest  degree  of  human  weakness — 
he  was  tempted  to  mistrust  God  ;  to  act  presumptuously  to¬ 
wards  God  ;  and,  even  to  worship  the  devil.  But  through  all 
this  scene  of  moral  conflict,  he  was,  and  remained  the  innocent 


43 


WHAT  IS  HAN  ? 


and  holy — the  enduring  and  victorious — man.  On  the  cross’ 
he  was  sorely  tempted  to  disobey  the  special  “  commandment” 
which  he  had  received  from  his  Father.  (Jno.  10  :  11-18.) 
He  was  tempted  to  be  disobedient,  through  the  agonies  of 
crucifixion,  and  through  the  bitter  taunts,  and  scornful  mock- 
ings  of  his  human  enemies.  “ Gome  down  from  the  cross,  if 
thou  be  the  Son  of  God!  Gome  down  from  the  cross  if  thou 
be  the  Christ!  Gome  doiun  from  the  cross,  and  ice  will 
believe  thee  /”  Come  down  from  the  cross!!  Such  were 
the  tempting  exclamations  with  which  he  was  assailed,  by 
priests,  and  people ;  and  to  these  tempting  words,  the  devil 
and  his  angels  imparted  a  terrible  force.  And  even  God,  his 
Father,  seemed  to  have  abandoned  him,  in  his  greatest  need, 
and  unto  the  malice  of  his  numerous  and  scornful  foes.  But 
“  he  endured  the  cross  and  on  the  cross,  he  was  victorious 
over  all.  He  spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  and  made  a 
show  of  them  openly,  triumphing  over  them  there.  From  the 
depth  of  his  weakness  and  anguish,  he  raised  the  shout  of 
triumph  :  He  cried,  “  It  is  finished  !”• — the  conflict  was 
ended,  the  victory  was  won  ;  and  the  angels  of  God,  who  had 
hovered  over  the  arena,  on  Calvary,  witnessed  the  discomfiture 
and  disgraceful  flight  of  Satan  and  his  host  :  and  Heaven 
exulted  in  the  moral  triumph  of  the  second  man.  The  heel 
of  the  woman’s  Seed  was  sorely  crushed  in  the  conflict ;  yet 
was  he  victorious  over  all  the  power  of  the  enemy  :  and  the 
serpent’s  head  shall  yet  be  crushed  to  death. 

3.  The  purpose  of  God  to  give  eternal  life,  and  embodied 
immortality  to  sinful  and  mortal  men,  is  to  be  accomplished 
through  the  sacrificial  death  of  the  second  man. 

By  the  disobedience  of  the  first  man,  the  whole  human  race 
was  brought  under  the  power  of  sin  and  death  :  and  in  order 
that  any  of  that  race  should  live  for  ever,  it  was  necessary  that 
they  should  be  redeemed.  If  redeemed  at  all  they  must  be 
redeemed  in  a  wny  that  would  afford  to  all  the  moral  perfec¬ 
tions  of  God,  an  honorable  display  : — the  veracity  of  God 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


49 


must  be  evinced ;  and  Ills  holiness  must  be  vindicated ;  and 
Ilis  righteousness  must  be  declared  ;  and  His  grace  must  be 
justified  ;  and  His  moral  glory  must  be  manifested  without  a 
cloud:  and,  in  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God,  it  was  decreed, 
that  all  this  should  be  effected  and  established  through  a  sac¬ 
rificial  atonement  for  sin,  and  for  the  souls  of  men  ;  and  to 
this  end,  the  Son  of  God  became  the  second  man  :  and  received 
from  God  the  Father,  the  commandment  to  lay  down  his  life  ; 
and,  so,  to  become  a  substitutional  sacrifice. 

For  this  work  of  atonement*  the  second  man,  was  in  all 
respects,  meet  and  worthy  and  complete.  He  was  the  holy  man. 
Within  the  womb  of  the  blessed  Virgin,  he  was  “  that  holy-be¬ 
gotten”  one — unstained  by  the  sinfulness  of  man.  By  reason  of 
“  the  miraculous  conception”  he  was  free  from  all  the  psychical 
and  moral  disorder  inherited  by  all  the  children  of  men.  “In 
him  was  no  sin.”  He  was  “  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  separate 
from  sinners.”  He  was  also  the  righteous  man  who  delighted 
to  do  the  will  of  God  ;  who  had  the  law  of  God  in  his  heart  ; 
and  who,  in  all  respects,  fulfilled  that  divine  law  under  which 
he  was  made,  when  made  out  of  a  woman.  Moreover,  He  was 
the  God-man.  His  one  life  and  one  sacrifice  of  himself 
— was  of  infinitely  more  value,  than  were  the  lives  of  all  whom 
he  came  to  redeem  and  save.  As  the  holy  man,  and  the 
righteous  man,  and  the  God-man,  He  possessed  a  three-fold 
title  to  “  live  forever  and  if  He  laid  down  his  life,  He  was 
competent  to  take  it  up  again.  As  the  sacrificial  man,  he 
was  meet  for  the  altar  when  he  was  born  of  the  blessed  Mary, 
in  the  stable  in  Bethlehem  ;  He  was  worthy  of  the  altar  all 


*  The  Hebrew  word,  commonly  rendered,  “atonement,'’  is  kah-phar. 
The  true  ideal  meaning  of  this  word  is,  to  put  away,  to  make  an  end  of,  to 
annul.  This  radical  meaning  is  seen  in  Isa.  28:  18  ;  and  is  illustrated 
by  the  Apostle  Paul  in  Ileb.  9 :  2G.  Put,  in  its  secondary  and  resultant 
usage,  kah-phar,  signifies,  to  cover;  that  is,  in  the  sense  of  preserva¬ 
tion,  &c. 


5 


50 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


along  his  appointed  path  ;  and  He  was  ready  for  the  altar 
when  the  pre-appointed  hour  arrived. 

On  the  cross,  “  Pie  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death.”  In 
obedience  to  the  commandment  of  God  the  Father,  and  by  an 
act  of  pure  volition,  He  laid  down  his  life,  that  he  might  take 
it  again.  (Jno.  10  :  17,  18.)  This  was  the  “  one  obedience” 
which  he  came  to  render.  The  first  man  by  “  one  disobedi¬ 
ence,”  brought  in  sin  and  death  :  and  the  second  man  by 
“  one  obedience,”  brought  in  righteousness  and  eternal  life. 
He  “put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself  :”  judicially, 
He  made  “an  end  of  sins.”  He  triumphed  over  death,  and 
“him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  which  is  the  devil.”  And, 
in  the  view  of  angels,  and  principalities,  and  powers,  He  sus¬ 
tained  the  honor  of  the  divine  government ;  vindicated  the 
holiness  of  God  ;  declared  the  righteousness  of  God  ;  evinced 
the  veracity  of  God  ;  and  justified  the  grace  of  God  ;  and, 
thus  laid  the  foundation  for  the  manifestation  of  the  moral 
glory  of  God,  without  a  cloud. 

In  the  free  justification  of  sinners,  and  the  gift  of  eternal 
life,  God  is  manifestly  just.*  And  it  is  a  truth,  never  to  be 
forgotten,  that  the  infinite  value  which  pertains  to  the  one 
sacrifice  of  Jesus  ;  arises — not  from  any  inherent  dignity  or 
value  in  man,  as  the  subject  of  redemption  ;  neither  from  the 
nature,  or  the  extent,  of  the  penalty  due  to  sin  ;  nor  from  the 


*  The  “ atonement  ”  of  Christ  was  made  for  all  whom  the  Father  had 
given  to  the  Son  :  for  them  it  is  effective,  and  its  contemplated  results 
are  made  sure.  But  in  another,  and  governmental,  relation,  the  death 
of  Christ  was  on  behalf  of  the  Adamic  race.  The  long-suffering  of 
God,  from  the  hour  in  which  Adam  first  sinned;  and  the  multiplied 
boon  of  personal  life ;  and  the  unfailing  order  and  munificence  of  God’s 
providence — all  this,  and  more,  is  based  on  the  death  and  mediation  of 
“  the  second  man.”  In  this  temporal,  benevolent  and  merciful  sense 
and  relation,  the  death  of  Christ  was  on  behalf  of  the  world.  Many 
passages  of  Holy  Scripture  relate  to  this  ;  but,  by  many  uninstructed 
persons,  such  passages  are  supposed  to  treat  of  “  the  atonement.” 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


51 


immortal  and  celestial  results  of  Ilis  obedience  unto  death, 
but — from  Who  and  wiiat  He  is  in  himself,  from  liis  own 
essential  Deity  ;  and  from  the  fact  of  his  having,  voluntarily, 
laid  down  his  life,  in  obedience  to  the  commandment  of  his 
Father,  God 

4.  The  purpose  of  God,  to  give  eternal  life  and  embodied 
immortality  to  sinful  and  mortal  men,  is  to  be  accomplished 
through  the  resurrection  of  the  second  man. 

When  Jesus  laid  down  his  life  on  the  cross,  “he  descended 
into  hell.”  He  went  down  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth  ; 
(Eph.  4  :  9 ;)  to  the  place  whence  the  first  man  originally 
came.  (Ps.  139:  15.)  He  went  into  the  heart  of  the  earth  ; 
(Matth.  12:  40  ;)  into  the  place  called  in  the  Hebrew,  Sh’ol ; 
in  the  Greek,  Hades;  and  in  the  English,  “Hell.”  (Ps.  16: 
10  ;  Acts,  2  :  25-31.)  He  went  into  “the  deep  ”  (Rom.  10  : 
1)  called  in  the  Greek,  abusson  ;  and  commonly  translated  in 
the  English,  “the  bottomless  pit.”  According  to  his  own 
words,  “the  Son  of  man”  was  “three  days  and  three  nights  in 
the  heart  of  the  earth.”  His  body  lay  in  the  sepulchre,  but 
his  human  soul,  in  hypostatic  union  with  his  divine  Spirit, 
was  in  the  heart  of  the  earth.  The  sentence  upon  the  first 
man,  was,  that  he  should  return  into  the  earth  (out  of  which 
he  had  been  taken)  as  the  just  penalty  of  his  disobedience  : 
but  Jesus,  the  second  man,  went  down  into  the  earth,  not  as 
a  criminal ;  but  as  the  Conqueror  of  sin,  death,  and  the 
devil : — He  went  down  there,  not  passively  as  a  prisoner,  but 
actively  as  the  Redeemer.  Nevertheless,  He  went  down  there  ; 
and  such  was  in  part,  the  mystery  of  his  death  ;  which  was  a 
proper  death,  a  real  dissolution  or  disintegration  ;  for  when 
he  died  on  the  cross,  he  left  the  body  which  He  had  assumed. 
And  he  himself  had  taught  the  necessity  of  his  own  death,  in 
order  to  the  evolution  of  eternal  life  out  of  Him.  “  In  him 
was  life  :”  and  lie  is  “the  life.”  But  he  showed,  and  illus¬ 
trated,  the  necessity  of  the  mystery  of  his  death — in  order  to 
the  evolution  and  communication  of  eternal  life  out  of  him- 


52 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


A 

self — when  he  said,  “  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  yon,  except  a 
grain  of  wheat  fall  into  the  earth  and  die,  it  abideth  alone  : 
but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit.”  (Jno.  12:  24.) 
And  the  type  of  this  necessity  of  his  death,  was  the  death¬ 
like  sleep  of  the  first  man  Adam,  in  order  to  the  evolution  of 
the  vital  woman  out  of  him.  In  the  wisdom  of  God  that 
death-like  sleep  was  made  nnecessary  to  the  evolution  of  the 
psychical  and  communicable  life  of  the  first  man  ;  to  be 
possessed  by,  and  manifested  in,  his  bride  :  and,  in  the  mani¬ 
fold  wisdom  and  governmental  righteousness  of  God,  the 
actual  death  of  the  second  man  was  made  necessary  to  the 
evolution  of  his  spiritual  and  communicable  life ;  to  be 
possessed  by,  and  manifested  in,  his  church,  which  shall  be 
known  as  his  bride — even  the  bride  of  the  Lamb.  (Rev.  1 9  : 
6-9  ;  21  :  9.)  But,  as  the  mystery  of  the  death  of  Jesus  was 
necessary,  in  order  to  the  communication  of  eternal  life  and 
immortality  to  those  whom  the  Father  had  given  him  ;  so  also 
was  his  resurrection,  equally  necessary  to  the  same  end  :  and 
when  speaking  anticipatively  of  his  resurrection,  he  assured 
his  disciples  saying,  “Because  I  live,  you  shall  live  also.”  It 
is  from  and  in  the  second  man  that  life  and  immortality  is 
and  shall  be  the  portion  and  inheritance  of  men — of  the 
genus  Adam. 

Jesus  rose  from  the  dead  on  the  third  day,  and  his  resur¬ 
rection  was  consequent  on  the  atonement  which  he  had  made 
and  completed  on  the  cross ;  and  which  God  the  Father  had 
accepted,  there  and  then.  His  resurrection  was  consequent 
on  his  having,  through  his  death,  made  a  judicial  end  of  sins, 
and  annulled  the  power  of  death,  and  of  the  devil.  He  has 
“abolished  death;  and,  by  his  radiant  manifestation,*  has 


*  Not  through  his  lowly  advent  in  the  stable  in  Bethlehem ;  but 
through  his  radiant  manifestation,  to  Saul  of  Tarsus,  after  he  had  risen, 
and  was  glorified — not  in  his  teaching,  as  a  prophet  on  earth ;  but  in 
his  Person ,  as  seen  by  Saul,  in  the  open  heavens:  as  it  is  written,  in 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


53 


brought  life  and  incorruptibility  (aphtharsia)  to  light  through 
the  Gospel.”  (2  Tim.  1:  10.)  These  words  teach,  that 
Jesus,  the  Saviour,  has,  in  his  own  person,  exemplified,  and 
illuminated,  life  and  incorruptibility;  as  when  he  appeared  to 
Saul  of  Tarsus — brilliant,  “above  the  brightness  of  the  sun.” 
It  was  in  resurrection  that  the  second  man,  the  last  Adam, 
became  or  formally  assumed  his  unique  and  proper  position 
and  relations  as  the  “life-giving  Spirit.”  In  resurrection,  he 
stood  forth  in  the  view  of  “  angels  and  principalities  and 
powers  ” — the  immortal  man,  the  Head  of  a  new  order,  the 
celestial  and  immortal  order — the  veritable  offspring  and  sons 
of  the  living  God. 

5.  The  purpose  of  God,  to  give  eternal  life  and  embodied 
immortality  to  sinful  and  mortal  men  is  to  be  accomplished 
by  the  second  man,  as  glorified  in  the  heavens. 

That  same  night  on  which  he  was  betrayed,  Jesus  set 
himself,  anticipatively,  on  the  other  side  of  the  cross.  As 
though  he  were  already  in  resurrection,  and  standing  in  the 
vestibule  of  the  celestial  Temple,  as  the  High  Priest  of  his 
chosen,  and  seeking  an  entrance  into  the  glory  of  the  Throne, 
he  addressed  the  Father,  and  said  “  Father  the  hour  is  come  ; 
glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy  Son  also  may  glorify  thee  :  as  thou 
hast  given  him  authority  over  all  flesh,  that  he  should  give 
eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him.  And  this  is 
life  eternal — that  they  might  know  thee  the  only  true  God, 
and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent.”  (Jno.  17  :  1-3.) 
The  latter  sentence  in  this  passage  is  elliptical ;  and  the 


the  original  Greek,  phanerotheisan  de  nun  dia  tees  epiphaneias  tou  soteeros 
heem5n  Ieesou  Xristou.  But  now  is  made  manifest  through  the  shinino* 
forth,  or  manifest  splendor  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  In  this 
manner,  the  eternal  purpose  and  grace  of  God  the  Father  is  made 
manifest;  even  his  eternal  purpose  and  grace  towards  those  of  the 
human  race  whose  salvation  and  holy  calling  he  had  fore-decreed;  and 
whom  he  had  “  predestinated  to  be  conformed  to  the  imnge  of  his  Son.” 


54 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


ellipsis  is  common  to  all  discourse.  A  similar  instance  to  the 
present  is  perceived  in  1  Jno.  5:3.  If  the  ellipsis  in  this 
present  case  be  justly  apprehended,  the  truth  will  be  under¬ 
stood,  viz.  :  that  the  end  or  object,  for  which  eternal  life  is 
given,  is,  that  the  true  knowledge  of  the  true  God  and  his 
blessed  Son,  might  be  possessed,  by  those  whom  the  Father 
had  given  to  the  Son. 

The  first  man  Adam  was  assailed  and  was  overcome  and 
ruined  by  the  evil  spirit,  in  the  serpent’s  form  ;  and  that  evil 
spirit  became,  thus,  and  thenceforth,  “the  prince  of  this 
world.”  But  the  Holy  Spirit  descended  on  the  second  man, 
at  his  baptism,  in  the  likeness  of  a  dove,  and  abode  upon 
him.  Yea  the  Holy  Spirit  dwelt  in  him,  and  strengthened 
him  for  moral  conflict  with  his  adversary  the  devil :  and  now 
that  he,  the  second  man,  has  stood  fast  and  prevailed,*  and  is 
glorified,  the  Holy  Spirit  has  been  sent  forth  of  the  Father  ; 
and  has  come  down  from  heaven  to  act  on  behalf  of  the 
glorified  man;  as  his  Yicar  on  earth,  and  to  efisure  to  him 
the  eternal  reward  of  his  obedience,  and  his  triumph  on  the 
earth.  To  ensure  the  reward,  promised  of  the  Father  to  the 
Son,  the  Holy  Spirit  quickens  men  who  are  dead  ( nehrous ) 
in  their  sins ;  that  is  impotent  and  inert  and  insensible, 
morally,  towards  God.  (Eph.  2  :  1-7  ;  Col.  2  :  13.)  The 
atonement,  by  blood,  which  the  second  man  has  made,  is  the 
basis  on  which  the  Spirit  of  God  acts,  in  quickening  the  souls 
of  men.  As  when  the  leper  in  Israel  was  cleansed,  the  sacri¬ 
ficial  blood  was  first  applied,  and  then  the  holy  oil  upon  the 
blood  ;  (Levit.  14  :  14,  17  ;)  so,  where  God  has  imputed  the 
redeeming  value  of  the  precious  blood  of  Christ ;  there,  and 
to  those,  the  Holy  Spirit  comes  with  his  quickening  and 
enlightening  powers.  He  comes  with  the  full  and  unfailing 
intent  to  regenerate  “the  ransomed  of  the  Lord” — the  objects 
of  the  Father’s  everlasting  love  and  sovereign  grace.  He 
quickens  the  souls  of  men  into  union  of  life  with  Christ 
Jesus,  risen  and  glorified  ;  (Eph.  2  :  4-7 ;)  imparting,  thus, 


V7IIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


the  communicable  life  of  the  Father,  which  is  also  the  resur¬ 
rection  life  of  the  Son  ;  who  lives  in  the  regenerate,  (Gal.  2  : 
20 ;)  and  in  whom  they  live.  (Col.  3 :  3,  4 ;)  In  this 
manner  the  Holy  Spirit  acts  on  behalf  of  the  second,  the 
glorified,  man,  as  the  abiding  Comforter :  and  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  glorified  man  gives  eternal  life,  to  as  many  as  the 
Father  has  given  to  Him. 

6.  The  purpose  of  God  to  give  eternal  life  and  embodied 
immortality  to  sinful  and  mortal  men,  is  being  accomplished 
in  the  way  of  absolute  grace. 

The  boon  of  created  life — to  speak  again  of  the  first  man 
Adam— was  the  production  and  bestowment  of  pure  and 
sovereign  benevolence,  in  the  heart  of  God.  Adam  could 
not  possibly  deserve  to  be  created,  and  to  live.  Nonentity 
could  not  deserve  to  be  created  into  conscious  and  rejoicing 
life:  neither  could  nonentity  co-operate  with  God,  in  the 
production  of  an  intelligent  and  moral  being,  such  as  man 
became.  No  more  can  men  who  are  dead  in  their  sins 
deserve,  or  even  desire,  to  be  begotten  of  God,  into  the 
possession  of  eternal  life.  Nay  in  their  case  there  is  an 
aversion  to  God — they  are  “  enemies’7  to  God  and  godli¬ 
ness — “the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  to  God.”  Men  who  are 
dead  in  their  sins  can  neither  deserve,  nor  desire,  to  be 
begotten  into  spiritual  and  celestial  life  :  and  in  relation  to 
immortality,  the  very  thought  of  needing  that  priceless  boon, 
as  the  gift  of  God,  is  rejected  and  despised :  and  ecclesiastical 
teaching  tends  to  confirm  men  in  the  vauntings  of  - their 
hearts ;  in  which  is  cherished  the  proud  assumption  :  “  Our 
souls  are  our  own,  and  are  immortal  too.” 

Men  morally  dead,  dead  in  their  sins,  cannot  work  for 
spiritual  life — cannot,  co-work  with  the  “  quickening  Spirit.” 
“Eternal  life  is  the  gift  of  God;”  and  a  gift  cannot  be 
earned.  And  he  must  be  a  proud  man  who  would  say,  that 
he  could  not  receive  eternal  life  as  a  free  gift ;  nor  even  set  a 
value  upon  it,  if  possessed,  unless  he  could  believe  and  say, 


56 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


that  he  had  attained  to  its  possession  by  his  own  will  and 
original  choice,  and  by  his  own  religious  efforts,  and  by  his 
own  faithfulness  to  God.  He  must  indeed  be  a  proud  sinner , 
who  could  thus  speak.  But,  according  to  the  tenor  of  these 
words  there  are  thousands,  and  tens  of  thousands,  who  thus 
boast  themselves,  and  glory  in  themselves ;  and  while  they 
“profess  and  call  themselves  Christians;”  they,  in  this  way 
despise  the  grace  of  Christ. 

But,  it  is  no  marvel,  that  men  commonly  speak  so  arrogantly 
in  denying  their  own  destitution  and  nothingness;  seeing  that, 
they  are  so  commonly  told,  that  their  “ dignity ,”  and  “ des¬ 
tiny, ”  is  the  basis  of  their  “ duty .” 

The  concurrent  teaching  of  the  inspired  Book  is,  that  all 
men  are  ruined  mortals — helpless  and  blind  and  morally 
inert  and  insensible ;  under  the  power  of  sin,  and  Satan  and 
death.  And  the  key  note  of  the  true  and  melodious  Gospel 
is:  “By  grace  ye  are  saved.” — “By  grace*  are  ye  saved, 
through  faith  ;  and  that  not  out  of  (. ek )  yourselves  ;  it  is  the 
gift  of  God.”  The  first  movement  of  the  quickened  soul  is 
towards  Jesus,  risen  and  glorified.  The  living  faith,  inspired 
of  God,  turns  to  the  living  Saviour,  and  trusts  and  rests  in 
Him.  Salvation  is  realized  on  the  principle  of  faith ,  in 
contrast  with  the  principle  of  law.  Salvation  is  realized  in 
the  way  of  faith,  from  first  to  last.  As  breathing  was  neces¬ 
sary  to  the  conscious  and  active  psychical  life  of  the 
created  man ;  even  so,  believing  is  necessary  to  the  conscious 
and  active,  spiritual  life  of  the  new  man  in  Christ.  This 


Grace  is  the  great  love  of  God  shown  towards  its  human  objects, 
without  deserving,  or  the  possibility  of  deserving  on  their  part — the 
great  love  of  God,  contrary  to  moral,  and  judicial  desert — the  unmerit- 
able  and  unforfeitable  love  of  God,  in  Christ  Jesus;  all  the  reasons  of 
which  love,  are  in  the  heart  and  counsel  of  God.  Grace  has  respect  to 
sins,  and  the  entire  putting  away,  and  forgiveness,  of  sins ;  that  mercy 
might  come  in  with  its  free  gift,  and  that  the  purpose  of  eternal  love 
might  be  fulfilled. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


67 


necessity  lias,  in  both  cases,  been  instituted  of  God  :  and  the 
origination,  and  the  sustainment  of  the  breathing,  in  the  one 
case,  and  of  the  believing,  in  the  other  case,  is  of  God,  and 
not  of  man.  The  created  man  breathed,  because  that — he 
being  already  made  vital — God  blew  into  his  nostrils  the 
breath  of  life  :  and  the  regenerated  man  believes,  because  that 
■ — he  being  already  quickened — God  inspires  him  with  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel  of  his  Son.  And  the  apostle  Paul  wisely 
has  reasoned  showing  that  men  are  either  saved  by  absolute 
grace  from  first  to  last,  or  that  grace  is  not  grace  at  all. 
(Rom.  11:  6.) 

7.  The  purpose  of  God,  to  give  eternal  life  and  embodied 
immortality  to  sinful  and  mortal  men,  has  originated  a  new 
and  peculiar  order  of  beings,  of  which  the  last  Adam  is  the 
risen  and  glorified  Head. 

The  Lord  Jesus  taught  the  necessity  of  a  man  being  “  born 
again,”  born  from  above,  in  order  to  a  discernment  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God — not  only,  in  order  to  a  final  entrance  into 
the  Kingdom,  but  in  order  to  a  mental  discernment  of  what 
the  Kingdom  of  God  really  is :  and,  while  teaching  thus,  he 
said,  “that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh ;  and  that  which 
is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.”  (Jno.  3  :  6.)  In  the  usage 
of  Holy  Scripture,  the  term,  “flesh,”  when  used  in  a  physical 
sense,  signifies"  all  that  man  is,  as  man  ;  and  even  when  used 
in  a  moral  and  evil  sense,  it  includes  the  whole  natural  man. 
And  in  the  words  of  Jesus,  just  quoted,  the  term  “flesh,”  in¬ 
cludes  the  whole  natural  man,  and  the  entire  offspring  of  the 
natural  man— soul  and  body.  The  fact  thus  testified  of  by 
the  Lord,  we  have  already  reviewed.  “  That  which  is  born 
of  the  flesh,”  is  a  child  constituted  of  soul  and  body :  but, 
“  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit,”  is  a  new  and  spiritual 
constituent  of  personal  being.  lie  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit 
is  constituted  of  a  “spirit,  and  soul,  and  body.”  (1  Thess. 
5:  23.)  We  have  shown  that  when  the  word  “  spirit  ”  is 
used  in  relation  to  man,  as  man ,  it  is  used  adjeclively,  and  to 


58 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


denote  the  motions  and  emotions  of  his  soul.  But  the 
word,  “  spirit, ”  as  used  by  the  Lord,  in  Jno.  3:  6,  and  as 
elsewhere  applied  to  the  regenerate,  is  used  as  a  substantive 
noun  ;  to  denote  that  new  and  living  and  eternal  nature  which 
is  in  them,  as  born  of  God.  Within  the  regenerate  man,  a 
“  spirit  ”  has  been  engendered,  by  the  Spirit  of  God — which 
spirit  is  celestial,  and,  in  the  secondary  meaning  of  the  word, 
is  divine — a  divine  substance,  the  communicable  life  of  God  ; 
and  all  the  moral  qualities  thereof,  answer  to  the  moral  per¬ 
fections  of  God.  This  divinely  engendered  spirit,  is  the 
eternal  life,  in  union  with  Christ,  risen.  It  is  called  the  “new 
man,”  (Eph.  4:  24;  Col.  3:  10,)  and  the  “inner  man.”  (2 
Cor.  4:16;  Eph.  3  :  16  )  When  it  is  spoken  of  in  contrast 
with  “the  flesh,”  it  is  called  “the  spirit :”  as,  for  instance,  in 
Gal.  5:17,  22-25  :  but  it  must  not  be  confounded  in  our 
minds,  with  Deity — with  the  Spirit  of  God,  the  Holy  Ghost. 

It  is  sad  and  sorrowful  to  be  obliged  to  state  that  the  real 
and  spiritual  fact,  and  the  doctrine ,  of  a  true  and  proper 
regeneration  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  either  ignored,  or  is 
formally  denied  ill  the  ecclesiastical  teaching  authorized  and 
received  by  men.  The  real  fact  is  denied,  by  being  repre¬ 
sented  to  be  only  a  “moral  change,”  a  so-called  “change  of 
heart :”  and  the  true  doctrine  is  denied  by  being  called  a 
“figure  of  speech.”  Ecclesiastical  teachers  may  well  be 
asked,  Have  you  never  read  that  Scripture  ? — “A  new  heart 
will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you.”  But 
in  thus  rejecting  the  testimony  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  such  teachers,  are  at  least,  consistent  with  them¬ 
selves,  and  with  the  platonic  teachings  in  which  they  indulge. 
Eor  a  man  cannot  need,  and — as  it  would  seem — cannot 
possess  tivo  deathless  principles  of  personal  being — two  im¬ 
mortal  spirits  :  if  he  be  born  of  God  by  creation  and  pro¬ 
creation,  lie  cannot  need  to  be  born  of  God  over  again.  But 
if  they  are  thus,  consistent  with  themselves,  it  is  a  self-con¬ 
sistency  that  involves  a  two-fold  contradiction  of  God :  for, 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


59 


first  they  deny  the  testimony  of  God,  concerning  the  origin 
and  constitution  of  man,  and  his  present  mortal  state  :  and 
then  they  deny  the  testimony  of  God,  concerning  those  who 
are  “.born  of  the  Spirit;”  and  who  are  determinately  marked 
off  from  the  rest  of  mankind,  in  these  words  “  Whosoever 
believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  born  of  God.”  (I 
Jno.  5:1.)  And  to  all  such,  it  is  said,  “  Behold  what  manner 
of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that  we  should  be 
called  the  sons  of  God ;  therefore  the  world  knoweth  us  not, 
because  it  knew  Him  not ;”  i.  e.,  Jesus.  “Beloved,  now  are 
we  the  sons  of  God  :  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall 
be  :  but  we-  know  that  when  He  (Jesus)  shall  appear,  we 
shall  be  like  Him  ;  for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is.”  (1  Jno. 
3:  1,  2.) 

Words  cannot  more  distinctly  announce  a  new  order  of 
beings  on  the  earth — men ,  indeed,  but  no  longer  mere  men ; 
but,  tekna  Theou — children  *of  God,  the  veritable  offspring 
of  the  living  God.  Not  gods,  indeed,  nor  demigods ;  but  not 
mere  men ;  for  they  are  constituted  of  two  natures,  the  origin 
and  qualities  of  which  are  exceedingly  diverse.  In  their 
persons,  the  “ earthy  ”  nature  and  the  “ heavenly  ”  nature 
co-exist,  and  constitute,  in  each,  one  person.  In  that  they 
have  their  'psychical  origin  from  the  first  man  Adam,  who 
was  out  of  the  earth,  and  became  unto  a  living  soul,  they  are 
men;  but  in  that  they  have  their  spiritual  origin  in  the 
second  man,  the  Lord  out  of  heaven,  the  last  Adam,  who 
became  unto  a  life-giving  Spirit,  they  are  more  than  men . 
As  to  their  new  and  spiritual  entity,  they  are  brought  forth 
( apekueesen ,  from  apokuo)  out  of  God,  of  his  own  purpose ; 
( bouleetheis — James  1 :  18)  and  so  are  “  partakers  of  a 
divine  nature,”  ( tlieias  koinonoi  pliuseos)  which  it  is  the  good 
pleasure  of  God  that  they  should  manifestly  possess  ;  and  for 
which  manifest  possession  God  has  given  “  exceeding  great 
and  precious  promises”  to  them.  (2  Pet.  1 :  4.)  This  divine 
nature  is  now ,  so  to  speak,  in  an  embryonic  state,  but  is 


60 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


manifestive,  as  to  its  proper  fruits,  in  holiness  and  righteous¬ 
ness  and  love  and  good  works ;  for  they  are  now  the  sons  of 
God ;  and  His  seed  remaineth  in  them,  and  they  cannot,  law¬ 
lessly ,  sin,  because  they  are  born  of  God.  (1  Jno  3  :  9.)  As 
John  has  said,  the  world  knows  them  not;  even  as  the  world 
knew  not  Jesus,  and  because  it  knew  not  Eim.  The  mys¬ 
tery  of  their  being  is  too  great  to  be  apprehended  by  human 
sagacity — is  too  deep  to  be  fathomed  by  the  philosophy  of 
man.  (Jno.  3  :  8.)  Jesus  was  in  a  state  of  incognito  here, 
and  so  are  they :  and  when  lie  shall  be  manifested,  they  shall 
be  manifestly  like  Him.  John  has  shown  that  the  knowledge 
of  this  is  proper  to  them,  as  taught  of  God  :  and,  it  is  said, 
also,  by  Paul,  “When  Christ,  our  life,  shall  appear,  then 
shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory.”  (Col.  3  :  4.)  And 
Paul  represents  the  sentient  and  groaning  creation,  as  “  wait¬ 
ing  for  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God;”  and  the  sons 
of  God,  as  waiting  for  the  sbnstate  ( whyothesian )  or  the 
state  proper  to  them  as  sons ;  and  in  which  they  shall  be 
manifested  to  the  world:  (Rom.  8:  19-23,)  and  the  world 
shall  then  know  that  God  has  loved  them,  even  as  he  has 
loved  Jesus,  his  blessed  Son.  (Jno.  It :  23.) 

Now  are  they  the  sons  of  God,  and  the  Spirit  of  God 
dwells  in  them.  (Rom.  8:  11.)  Their  very  body  is  the 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  (1  Cor.  6:  19.)  By  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  they  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  the  redemption, 
state  ;  (Eph.  4  :  30;)  and  He  is  the  proper  strength  or  vigor 
of  the  new  and  “inner  man.”  (Eph.  3:  16.)  And  one 
divine  intent  for  which  the  Spirit  of  God  is  given  to  the 
children  of  God,  is,  that  from  within  their  hearts,  the  cry, 
“Abba,  Father,”  might  ascend  from  the  earth  to  God.  In 
the  case  of  those  children  of  God  whose  minds  are  beclouded 
by  the  false  teachings  of  men,  and  who  are  thus  stunted, 
being  hindered  in  their  growth  ;  and  who  by  reason  of  their 
spiritual  baby-hood  do  not  know  their  proper  and  filial 
relations  to  God — in  them,  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  the  Spirit  of 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


61 


the  Sou  of  God,  cries,  “  Abba,  Father”  on  their  behalf  and 
in  their  stead  ;  and  God  the  Father  hears,  and  heeds.  (Gal. 
4  :  6.)  But  in  the  case  of  those  who  are  no  longer  “babes 
in  Christ,”  but  who  truly  know  and  appreciate  their  celestial 
and  divine  origin  and  relations — in  them,  the  Spirit  of  God  is 
the  light  and  strength  of  their  spiritual  intelligence ;  and,  by 
Him,  they  themselves  cry,  “Abba,  Father.”  And  this  they 
do,  as  knowing  that  they  are  born  of  God  ;  and  as  realizing 
their  celestial  filiation,  and  the  true  and  proper  paternity  oi 
God  ;  and  this  they  know  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  bears 
witness  with  their  spirit  that  they  are  born  of  God — heirs  of 
God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ.  Bom.  8  :  14-17. 

8.  The  purpose  of  God,  to  give  eternal  life  and  embodied 
immortality  to  sinful  and  mortal  men,  is  to  be  accomplished 
by  a  future,  and  physical  resurrection,  or  a  change  equivalent 
thereto. 

The  genus  Adam  “  shall  live  for  ever” — shall  be  immortal ; 
and  in  embodied  immortality  shall  live  and  reign  with  God — . 
though  the  race  of  the  first  man  Adam  shall,  with  him, 
perish  and  be  no  more.  The  genus  Adam  has  been 
redeemed  to  God  by  the  blood  of  “the  Lamb.”  The  second 
man,  the  Lord  from  heaven,  became  the  Head  of  a  new 
process  in  the  state  and  history  of  the  human  creation — the 
Head  of  a  new  order  of  beings,  taken  out  from  among  the 
myriads  of  the  human  race ;  and  made  new  creatures  in 
Christ.  The  last  Adam  has  become  to  them  a  life-giving 
Spirit,  their  Head  of  life  and  immortality,  in  resurrection 
state:  and  because  He  lives,  they  shall  also  live ;  and  because 
He  is  immortal,  they  also  shall  be  immortal. 

The  psychical  and  physical  constitution  of  the  first  man, 
and  his  race,  was  not  designed,  in  the  purpose  of  God,  for 
immortality.  The  first  man  was  in  truth  adapted  to  “  live 
for  ever;”  but  the  result  of  his  moral  freedom  and  probation 
was  perfectly  foreknown  to  God.  The  first  man,  even  at  the 

first,  was  not  immortal ;  for  he  needed  and  was  furnished 

6 


62 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


with,  the  sustaining  virtues  of  the  tree  of  life.  The  psychical 
and  physical  constitution  of  the  human  race  was  not  designed 
for  immortality  ;  for  it  is  sexual  in  its  evolutions  ;  and  in  the 
case  of  the  ransomed  and  regenerate,  from  out  of  the  race, 
those  sexual  distinctions  shall  be  done  away.  In  Christ 
Jesus — in  whom  they  are  now,  as  to  their  spiritual  life,  and 
who  is  their  immortal  Head — “  there  is  neither  male  nor 
female;”  (Gal.  3:  28;)  and  there  shall  be  neither  male  nor 
female  in  the  resurrection  of  life.  All  who  are  born  of  the 
Spirit  are  “sons  of  God” — tekna  Theou,  children  of  God; 
and  whyoi  Theou,  sons  of  God * — the  offspring  of  God  by 
divine  generation,  and  like  God  (which  is  the  meaning  and 
force  of  Whyoi  Theou)  in  spiritual  and  heavenly  qualities ; 
and  all  are  predestinated  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  the 
Son  of  God,  in  embodied  immortality  and  glorious  state. 
(Rom.  8:  29.)  Together  with  the  constitution  of  “the 
flesh,”  all  the  distinctions,  and  relationships  of  the  flesh  shall 
be  done  away,  and  shall  be  known  and  remembered  no  more. 
(Luke  20  :  34-36.)  The  myriads  of  the  immortals  shall  be 
manifested,  sons  of  God. 

Resurrection  or  a  change  equivalent  thereto,  is  essential  to 
immortality.  The  apostle  Paul  has  made  this  truth  the 
postulate  of  his  elaborate  argument,  in  defending  the  truth 
of  a  future  and  physical,  “resurrection  of  the  dead” — of 


*  Tekna  Theou ,  means,  tlie  children  or  offspring  of  God :  Whyoi 
Theou  means  the  sons  of  God — the  idea  of  being  like  God,  who  “is 
spirit,”  and  who  is  holy  and  righteous,  and  who  “is  love,”  being 
included  and  prominent  therein.  Tekna  is  a  word  denoting  origin  and 
derivation ;  but,  whyos  is  a  word  denoting  quality  and  likeness — moral 
and  spiritual  likeness.  Why  os,  as  applied  to  Jesus,  means  sameness, 
or  oneness  of  Divine  Nature  with  God  the  Father;  for  its  meaning  is 
governed  and  intensified  by  his  other  titles — Lord,  and  God.  In  the 
case  of  the  saints,  u-hyoi  signifies  their  common  likeness  to  their  Father 
who  is  in  heaven ;  and  denotes  their  future  embodied  conformity  to  the 
image  of  the  Son  of  God. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


63 


“them  who  sleep;”  and  we  commend  the  argument,  and  its 
two-fold  basis  to  the  thoughtful  regard  of  all  saints  ;  see  1 
Cor.  15  ch. 

In  that  chapter,  Paul  takes  his  stand  upon  the  truth,  that 
“Christ  is  risen:” — “But  now  is  Christ  risen  from  the 
dead,  the  first  fruit  of  them  that  sleep.  Por  since  by  man 
came  death,  by  man  came  also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.” 
The  resurrection  made  sure  by  the  second  man,  is  the 
answer  of  God  to  the  death  brought  in  by  the  first  man  :  and 
by  the  resurrection ,  the  immortality  promised — embodied 
immortality — shall  be  realized  by  men.  And  it  is  here 
worthy  of  remark,  that  the  proper  term  for  immortality, 
athanasia,  is  used  only  three  times,  in  the  Christian  Revela¬ 
tion — once  in  application  to  the  Lord;  (1  Tim.  6:  16,)  and 
twice  in  application  to  the  saints  of  God.  (1  Cor.  15 : 
53,  54.)  In  other  passages,  the  English  word,  immortality; 
represents  the  Greek  word,  aphtharsia,  incorruptibility.  The 
latter  is  the  stronger  word  :  for  while  athanasia  means  no 
death,  and  no  possibility  of  death  ;  aphtharsia,  means  no 
decay,  and  no  possibility  of  decay  or  deterioration  of  any 
kind.  Both  terms  are  applied  to  God,  and  to  his  saints  ;  and 
concerning  the  raised  saints,  the  Lord  has  said,  “Neither  can 
they  die  any  more.”  Luke  20  :  36. 

In  pursuing  the  purpose  of  his  argument  touching  the 
resurrection,  Paul  says,  “  There  is  a  psychical  body,  (soma 
psuhikon)  and  there  is  a  spiritual  body.  ( soma  pneuma- 
tikon .)  And  so  it  is  written,  the  first  man  Adam  became 
unto  a  living  soul ;  (eis  psuJceen  zosan,  see  also  Rev.  16  :  3,) 
the  last  Adam  became  unto  a  life-producing  Spirit,  (eis 
pneuma  zdopoioun.)  But  that  was  not  first  which  is 
spiritual,  but  that  which  is  psychical ;  afterwards  that  which 
is  spiritual.  The  first  man  is  out  of  the  earth,  earthy  :  the 
second  man  is  the  Lord  out  of  heaven.  As  is  the  earthy 
(one),  such  also  are  the  earthy  (ones)  :  and  as  is  the 
heavenly  (one1),  such  also  are  the  heavenly  (ones).  And  as 


64 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


we  have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy  (one),  we  shall  also 
bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly  (one).” 

“  There  is  a  psychical  body,  and  there  is  a  spiritual  “body.” 
We  are  familiar  with  the  first ;  even  our  own  mortal  body  ; 
but  the  last  we  know  only  by  faith  ;  even  “the  glorious  body” 
of  the  Saviour,  the  last  Adam.  That  glorious  body  is  a 
spiritual  body  ;  and  was  changed  from  psychical  to  spiritual 
at  his  ascension  from  earth  to  heaven  ;  when  he  was  no 
longer  seen  by  his  disciples  from  the  Mount  of  Olives  He 
was  received  up  in  glory — en  doxee .”  (1  Tim.  3  :  10.)  When 
he  condescended  to  become  man,  he  adapted  the  mode  of  his 
Divine  Existence  to  the  manhood  which  he  assumed;  and 
returning  to  the  glory  which  he  had  with  the  Father  before 
the  world  was,  he  changed  and  adapted  his  manhood,  to  that 
which  is  spiritual  and  celestial ;  that  it  should  be  worthy  of 
his  unveiled  Deity  and  of  the  glory  proper  to  him,  upon  the 
Father’s  throne.  And  when  he  shall  come  again  he  will 
change  the  humiliation  bodies  of  his  ransomed,  his  “saints,” 
his  “  brethren  and  will  fashion  them  like  unto  his  glorious 
body — his  spiritual,  immortal,  incorruptible  and  glorious 
body. 

They  who  sleep  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  who 
are  alive  and  remain  shall  be  changed,  in  a  moment,  in  the 


*  The  Lord  Jesus  never,  directly,  callecf.his  chosen  ones  his  “breth¬ 
ren,”  until  he  had  risen  from  the  dead.  (Jno.  20:  17.)  He  intimated 
this  relation  before,  but  never  directly  applied  it  to  those  whom  he 
before  called  his  “  disciples,”  and  apostles.  It  is  in  resurrection  that 
he  is  the  formal  Head  of  the  new  order:  and  it  will  be  after  the 
resurrection  of  his  saints,  in  immortality  and  glory,  that  he  will  stand 
at  the  Head  of  the  divine  family,  the  elder  brother,  “  The  first-born 
among  many  brethren.”  (Rom.  8:  29;  Col.  1:  18.)  Jesus  is  not  the  * 
“brother”  of  any  human  being,  merely  by  his  assumption  of  manhood. 
When  he  became  the  seed  of  the  woman,  he  did  not  come  into  any  real 
relations  of  kindred  or  aflinity,  to  the  first  man  Adam  and  his  mortal 


race. 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


65 


twinkling  of  an  eye.  (1  Cor.  15  :  51-54 ;  1  These.  4 : 
13-18.)  No  trace  of  the  “flesh  and  blood,”  or  psychical, 
constitution  shall  remain.*  No  trace  of  the  first  man  Adam 
shall  be  any  more  found.  “  It  is  not  yet  manifest  what  we 
shall  be ;  but  we  know  that  when  He  shall  be  manifested  we 
shall  be  like  Him  ;  for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is.” 

The  present  and  psychical  body  has  its  origin  in  soul ;  and 
its  constitution  is  determined  by  the  nature  and  quality  of 
soul ;  and  it  is  designed  for  the  uses  and  manifestation  of  the 
soul.  But  the  future  and  spiritual  body  will  have  its  origin 
in  spirit;  and  its  constitution  will  be  determined  by  the 
nature  and  quality  of  spirit ;  and  it  is  designed  for  the  uses 
and  manifestation  of  the  spirit.  It  shall  indeed  be  a  body — 
a  material  body;!  but  it  shall  be  a  spiritual  and  celestial 
body. 

In  the  mystery  of  the  resurrection,  and  of  the  change 
equivalent  thereto,  the  Spirit  of  God  will  still  act  on  behalf 
of  the  second  man,  the  last  Adam,  the  heavenly  one.  He 
will  consummate  that  which  the  Father  has  purposed,  and 
which  the  Son  has  elaborated  in  the  way  of  atonement  and 
redemption  ;  and  which  He,  himself  (the  Holy  Spirit)  has  in 
part  accomplished,  in  the  way  of  quickening  and  regenerating 
power  and  effect.  And  in  the  heavenly  ones ,  life  and 
incorruptibility  shall  be  exemplified  and  illuminated,  even  as 

*  The  transformation  that  takes  place,  in  the  chrysalis  state,  from 
the  humble  condition  and  limited  capacity  of  the  Caterpillar,  to  the 
graceful  and  glorious  body  of  the  Butterfly,  which  soars  on  a  sun-beam 
and  sips  the  nectar  of  fragrant  flowers,  affords  but  a  faint  suggestion  of 
the  change  that  awaits  the  bodies  of  the  saints. 

|  A  piece  of  charcoal  is  composed  of  carbon,  and  so  also  is  a  diamond  ; 
but  the  latter  is  very  diverse  from  the  former.  The  former  is  carbon 
in  an  impure  and  porous  state ;  but  the  latter  is  carbon  in  a  pure  and 
crystallized  state.  We  cannot,  at  present,  conceive  what  a  pure  and 
precious,  and  beauteous  and  glorious  body,  the  spiritual  body  shall  be. 
It  is  enough  to  know  that  our  body  shall  be  so  changed  that  it  shall  be 
like  the  “  glorious  body”  of  the  now  glorified  Son  of  God. 

6* 


66 


WITAT  IS  MAN  ? 


it  is  now,  in  the  person  of  their  risen  and  glorified  Head. 
The  eternal  purpose  of  God,  in  the  human  creation  will  then 
have  been  accomplished.  The  genus  Adam  shall  be  immortal 
• — conformed  to  the  image  of  the  Son  of  God.  Thanks  be 
unto  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift  !  Thanks  be  to  God, 

WHO  GIVETH  US  THE  VICTORY  THROUGH  OUR  LORD  JESUS 

Christ  1 

We  have  heard  the  reply  of  men,  and  have  received  the 
answer  of  God,  to  the  question,  What  is  man  ?  We  have 
also  learned  the  eternal  purpose  of  God,  in  the  creation  of 
“the  first  man  Adam;”  and  how  it  is  to  be  accomplished  in 
and  by  “  the  second  man” — the  Lord  from  Heaven  ;  and  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  acting  on  his  behalf.  It  has  also  been 
remarked,  that  the  eternal  purpose  of  God,  which  seemed  to 
be  frustrated  by  the  disobedience  of  the  first  man,  is  far 
deeper  and  higher  than  did  at  first  appear.  We  now  pro¬ 
ceed  to  show,  that  in  the  counsel  of  God,  redemption  by  the 
second  man,  and  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  im¬ 
mortality  by  the  return  of  the  Son  of  God  from  Heaven,  is 
the  primary  and  predominant  intention  of  the  Divine  Mind — ■ 
God’s  eternal  idea.  In  subserviency  to  this,  all  things  are 
constituted ;  and  to  this  end  all  things  were  created  and 
made.  God  “  created  all  things  to  the  intent,  that  now  unto 
the  principalities  and  powers  in  the  heavenlies  (en  tois  epour- 
aniois)  might  be  known  through  the  church  {tees  ekklee- 
sias — the  called  out )  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God.”  (Eph. 
3:  10.)  The  celestial  intelligences  had  known  the  wisdom 
of  God  through  the  scheme  and  completeness  of  creation  ;  but 
they  are  now  learning  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God  through 
the  disclosure  of  the  eternal  purpose  of  God — “the  mystery 
which  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  had  been  hid  in  God.” 

The  intelligent  hosts  of  heaven  were  created  to  be  admiring 
observers  of  the  evolutions  and  accomplishment  of  the  eternal 
purpose  of  God  in  the  second  man  ;  and  in  the  result  of  his 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


67 


obedience  unto  death.  And  the  material  hosts  of  heaven 
were  created  to  be  magnificent  observatories,  whence  the 
intelligent  hosts  should  look  forth  and  contemplate  the 
wonders  of  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God,  and  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace.  Those  myriads  of  worlds  of  light — 
which  are  so  many  subordinate  ideas  of  God,  projected  by 
the  fiat  of  his  will,  and  crystallized  by  his  omnipotent  word — 
were  not  made  to  twinkle  in  darkness  before  the  eyes  of  the 
ignorant  multitude,  nor  to  furnish  an  intellectual  gratification 
to  a  few  Astronomers ;  but  to  be  the  abodes  of  intelligent 
and  studious  beholders  of  the  wondrous  ways  of  God — to  be 
the  “  many  mansions”  in  the  Palace  and  Temple  of  The 
Eternal.  And  while  angels  and  principalities  and  powers 
are  now  learning,  and  shall  yet  learn,  the  economy  of  the 
mystery,  which — at  the  beginning  and  till  the  pre-appointed 
time — had  been  hid  in  God,  they  are  rising,  and  shall  yet 
rise,  in  celestial  science ;  in  experimental  beatitude,  and 
immortal  dignity,  as  creatures  of  God.  They  are  learning 
what  never  could  have  been  learned  through  the  history  of  an 
unfallen  creation  ;  for  they  are  learning  God — in  the  unison, 
and  the  united  manifestation  of  all  his  moral  perfections ; 
and  in  “  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  ;”  and  especi¬ 
ally  that  He  is  “  The  God  of  all  grace.” 

But  the  lessons  of  these  celestial  students  are  not  limited  to 
the  history  of  redemption,  and  divine  generation,  and  immor¬ 
tality,  in  the  state  and  experience  of  “the  church  of  God,” 
alone.  The  nation *  of  God  shall  also,  in  the  future,  be 


*  The  purpose  of  God,  in  having  originated  that  nation,  in  Abraham  ; 
and  in  having  brought  the  people  out  of  Egypt,  and  separated  them  to 
himself,  from  the  nations  of  the  earth,  was  apparently  frustrated  by  the 
disobedience  of  the  nation,  under  the  law ;  and  by  the  rejection  of  the 
Messiah,  when  he  had  come  into  the  world.  But  the  eternal  purpose 
of  God,  in  the  call  of  Abraham,  and  the  miraculous  birth  of  Isaac,  and 
the  redemption  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  and  their  separation  from  all 
other  nations,  is  far  deeper  and  higher,  than  the  past  history  of  Israel 


68 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


saved ;  and  shall  be  immortal.  The  future  nation  of  Israel, 
redeemed  to  God  by  the  blood  of  his  Son,  shall  be  gathered 
unto  their  own  land ;  and  there,  as  miracles  of  divine  mercy, 
and  monuments  of  divine  faithfulness  and  unchanging  grace, 
they  shall  be  saved. 

“  The  second  man”  sustains  certain  special  relations  to  that 
nation,  and  to  the  land  wherein  their  fathers  have  dwelt. 
While  he  is  the  seed  of  the  woman,  by  miraculous  extraction, 
he  is  the  seed  of  Abraham,  by  genealogical  descent ;  and  is 
“the  heir”  of  Abraham’s  land.  (Gen.  15  :  18  ;  Gal.  3  :  16  ) 
He,  also,  “  was  made  of  the  seed  of  David,  according  to  the 
flesh;”  and  is  the  heir  of  David’s  throne.  (Ps.  89:  3,  4, 
35,  36  132  :  11  ;  Isa.  9  :  6,  7  ;  Luke  1  :  32,  33  ;  Acts  2  : 
29-31.)  He  made  an  atonement  for  that  nation,  as  really 
and  specially,  as  he  did  for  the  church.  He  made  a  two-fold 
atonement.  The  type  of  this  was  the  two-fold  ceremonial 
atonement  made  by  Aaron,  the  high  priest.  (Levit.  16:  6, 
7,  11,  15.)  A  declaration  of  the  truth  of  this  two-fold 
atonement  was  made  by  John — the  interest  of  Israel  therein, 
being  mentioned  first.  (Jno.  11  :  51,  52.)  And  the  atone¬ 
ment  made  for  Israel  (Dan.  9  :  24,)  shall  yet  be  known  and 
acknowledged  by  the  house  of  David,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
Jerusalem  ;  (Zech.  13  :  1,)  and  by  the  nation  as  a  whole. 
(Isa.  53  :  4-6.)  And  by  him  and  in  him,  shall  Israel,  as  a 
nation,  yet  be  saved,  (Jer.  23  :  5,  6,)  with  an  eternal  salva¬ 
tion.  (Isa.  45  :  17.)  Jesus  is  the  Redeemer  of  Israel ;  (Isa. 
41  :  14; — 49:  26.)  and  the  “ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall 


lias  made  known.  The  great  moral  problem : — Is  there  anything  in 
man,  that  does,  or  can,  respond  harmoniously  to  God  ?  Or,  can  man 
attain  to  righteousness,  and  earn  eternal  life  by  his  own  obedience? — 
This  great  moral  problem  has  been  solved,  in  the  past  histoi'y  of  that 
nation ;  and  by  their  disobedience,  and  unbelief,  the  exceeding  sinful¬ 
ness  of  sin  has  been  shown.  And,  in  the  future  history  of  the  nation, 
the  exceeding  riches  of  the  grace  of  God  shall  be  abundantly  made 
known. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


69 


return,  and  come  to  Zion  with  songs,”  (Isa.  35:  10.)  ITe 
lias  redeemed  Israel  fcy  his  blood  ;  and  he  will  come  again 
to  redeem  them  from  the  grasp  of  their  despotic  oppressors 
and  merciless  foes.  (Isa.  63  :  1-6.)  He  will  effect  their  re¬ 
demption  and  restoration  by  the  arm  of  his  glorious  power ; 
and  will  rescue  them  from  the  dominion  of  sin,  by  his  Spirit 
and  grace.  (Isa.  59  :  20  ;  Horn.  11  :  26,  27.) 

The  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  shall  be  gathered  of  God,  and 
brought  again  to  their  own  land.  (Isa.  11  :  11,  12  ;  Jer.  23  ; 
7,  8;  Ezek.  36:  28.)  They  shall  have  a  political,  national 
resurrection.  (Ezek.  37  :  11-14.)  The  Israelites  became 
two  nations,  in  the  days  of  Rehoboham,  the  so‘n  of  Solomon  ; 
but  they  shall  become  “  one  nation  in  the  land,  upon  the 
mountains  of  Israel.”  (Ezek.  37  :  22.)  And  Jerusalem 
shall  become  the  metropolis  of  the  world.  (Isa.  60  :  10-12.) 

Jehovah  will  make  a  new  covenant — a  covenant  of  absolute 
grace — with  the  one  nation  of  Israel ;  and  they  shall  all  know 
Him  ;  for  they  shall  be  quickened  and  become  regenerate,  by 
the  Iloly  Spirit.  (Jer.  31:  31-34;  Ezek.  36;  26-28.) 
They  shall  be  “all  righteous” — a  nation  of  true  Christians — a 
nation  of  real  saints. 

Over  this,  his  own  nation,  Jesus,  the  second  man,  the 
Messiah,  shall  reign,  and  his  immortalized  church — the  celes¬ 
tial  bride  of  the  Lamb — shall  reign  with  him  ;  (1  Tim.  2  : 
11,  12  ;  Rev.  20  :  4,  6,)  consequent  on  his  having  come  in 
his  glory — the  proper  Hope  of  his  church;  (Jno.  14:  2,  3  ; 
1  Thess.  3:  16,  17  ;  Titus  2:  13,)  and  consequent  on  “the 
first  resurrection.” 

The  Lord  and  his  church  shall  reign  over  redeemed  Israel, 
and  the  rescued  earth,  in  the  heavenlies ;  where  the  new 
Jerusalem  shall  be  in  visible  glory ;  and  in  manifest  relation 
to  the  Jerusalem  on  earth.  (Isaiah  4:  5;  60:  1-3;  Rev. 
21  :  24-27.)  The  Empire  of  the  Messiah  shall  be  adminis¬ 
tered  by  his,  then,  Vicar  on  earth,  who  shall  be  of  the  house 
of  David;  and  is  called,  “the  Prince.”  (Ezek.  46:  2;  48: 


70 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


21,  22.)  And  in  the  place,  where  it  was  said  unto  the  nation 
of  Israel,  “You  are,  lo-ammi,  not  my  people;  there  it  shall 
be  said  unto  them,  bii’nai  Ebl-chah’y,  (you  are)  the  sons  of 
the  living  God.”  (IIos.  1:  9,  10;  Rom.  9:  4,  5; — 11: 
26-29)  :  for  Israel  also  shall  be  born  of  God,  and,  so,  have 
eternal  life.  And,  at  the  consummation  of  the  plans  of  God, 
in  relation  to  the  earth,  they  shall  partake  of  the  immortality 
of  Christ,  with  the  church.  Israel  shall  be  saved  in  the 
Lord,  with  an  eternal  salvation.  Certain  other  nations  shall 
be  saved  with  them,  even  Egypt  and  Assyria;  (Isa.  19  :  23, 
25  ;)  and  many  individuals  out  of  the  other  nations,  shall  also 
be  saved.  But  the  nations,  in  general,  will  be  ruled,  only 
by  restraint.  (Fs.  18:  44; — 63:  3.)  The  Empire  of  the 
Messiah  over  the  nations  of  the  Gentiles,  will  be  a  dominion 
of  restraint,  and  of  subjugation  by  restraint.  (Ps.  8  :  6  ; — • 
110:  1,  2;  1  Cor.  15:  24-27  ;  Heb.  2:  6-8.)  And  at  the 
end  of  the  thousand  years,  the  nations  will  rebel — by  a 
simultaneous  insurrection,  they  will  think  to  overthrow  the 
government  of  the  Messiah,  and  regain  the  possession  and 
dominion  of  the  earth.  And  to  this  they  will  be  instigated 
by  Satan,  who,  at  that  time  and  for  a  little  season,  shall  be 
loosed  out  of  his  prison,  in  which  he  shall  have  been  confined 
during  the  thousand  years.  (Rev.  20  :  1-3,  7-9.)  But  Satan 
is  not  yet  confined.  This  fact  relates  intimately,  to  the  subject 
we  are  yet  to  pursue. 

Satan  is  now,  the  prince  of  this  world,  (Jno.  12  :  31  ; — 14: 
30  ; — 16  :  11,)  and  the  God  of  this  Age,  ho  Theos  ton  aidnos. 
(2  Cor.  4  :  4.)  He  is  the  prince  of  the  authority  of  the  air, 
or  the  aerial  regions.  (Epli.  2 :  2.)  The  devil  and  his 
angels  are  now  the  principalities  and  powers,  the  rulers  of  the 
darkness  of  this  Age ;  and  their  present  place  and  province 
is  in  the  heavenlies,  (e?i  tois  ej)ouranioisy)  whence  they  rale 
the  whole  sphere  of  the  moral  darkness  of  this  world.  These 
wicked  spirits  are  in  the  heavenlies,  as  in  their  province,  the 
possession  and  occupancy  of  which  they  are  yet  permitted  of 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


71 


God  to  retain.  Thence  they  descend  and  move  about  upon 
the  earth  ;  and  are  permitted — but  under  control  and  limita¬ 
tions — to  work  their  evil  will.  Against  them,  and  not  against 
"flesh  and  blood,”  the  ministers  of  Christ  especially,  have  to 
wrestle,  for  the  maintenance  and  defence  of  the  truth ;  that 
each  faithful  servant  might  be  able  to  say,  with  Paul,  "  I  have 
kept  the  Faith  :”  and  against  them,  all  saints  are  called  to 
wrestle  also,  and  to  the  same  end  ;  and  for  this  each  and  all 
are  provided  with  the  whole  armor  of  God,  and  with  suitable 
weapons  for  this  holy  war.  (Eph.  6  :  10-19.)  All  are  com¬ 
manded  to  resist  the  devil,  who  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh 
about ;  but  who  cannot  prevail,  but  must  flee,  when  he  is 
resisted  with  “  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of 
God.”  (James  4:  7  ;  1  Pet.  5  ;  8,  9.)  In  ancient  prophecy, 
those  wicked  spirits  are  called  "the  high  ones  that  are  on 
high.”  (Isa.  24  :  21.) 

Satan  is  the  accuser  of  the  brethren  ;  who  accuseth  them, 
day  and  night,  before  God.  In  ancient  times,  he  accused 
Job  of  serving  God  for  earthly  gain;  and  Job,  and  all  that 
he  had,  was  delivered  into  the  adversary’s  hand — except  that 
the  life  of  Job  might  not  be  touched.  Among  the  Mighty 
ones,  the  provincial  Chiefs  of  the  Universe,  and  at  some  place 
of  appointed  official  resort,  Satan  appeared  before  Jehovah; 
there  he  accused  Job,  and  there  and  then,  he  had  the  boldness 
to  say  to  Jehovah,  "Put  forth  thine  hand  now,  and  touch  all 
that  he  hath,  and  (see)  if  he  will  not  renounce  thee  to  thy 
face.”  We  "have  heard  of  the  endurance  of  Job,  and  have 
seen  the  end  of  the  Lord.”  But  men  in  general,  have  little, 
or  no,  conception  of  the  activity  and  power  of  Satan  and  his 
rebellious  host.  And  in  ecclesiastical  teaching,  the  most 
marvelous  errors  prevail,  respecting  the  devil  and  his  angels. 
Satan  is  therein  represented,  as  a  black  spirit,  (so  to  speak,) 
who,  together  with  his  angels,  is  shut  up  securely  in  hell. 
But  he  is  at  large,  in  the  heavenlies ;  and  with  his  evil  host, 
is  most  active  for  evil  on  the  earth  :  and  in  the  midst  of  the 


72 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


visible  church,  he  “is  transformed  as  an  angel  of  light.” 
(2  Cor.  11  :  13-15.)  He  assumed  the  mental  disguise  of  a 
warm  and  earnest  philanthropy,  and  of  a  zeal  for  truth  and 
uprightness,  in  the  midst  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  when  he 
ruined  man,  and  calumniated  God,  by  introducing  and  enforc¬ 
ing  the  doctrine,  that  inherent  immortality  is  the  distinguish¬ 
ing  attribute  of  man.  And  he  has  long  assumed  and  worn 
the  same  mental  disguise,  in  the  midst  of  the  visible  church. 
And  yet,  all  the  while,  men  are  told  and  taught  that  the 
devil  and  his  angels  are  locked  up  securely  in  hell,  and  are  in 
torture  there’ 

As  men,  in  general,  have  little,  or  no,  conception  of  the 
moral  power  of  Satan  for  evil,  so  have  they,  no  adequate  con¬ 
ception  of  his  intellectual  and  physical  power,  for  mischief  on 
the  earth.  While  philosophers  are  groping  their  tardy  and 
tedious  way  among  the  arcana  of  Natural  Science,  the  secrets, 
after  which  they  search,  are  intimately  known  to  Satan.  For 
instance : — The  Sciences  of  Electricity  and  Meteorology  and 
Animal  Chemistry,  and  the  theory  of  muscular  contraction, 
are  all  perfectly  known  to  him  ;  and  he  is  independent  of  all 
mechanical  contrivances  and  chemical  appliances  ;  which  men 
have  been  slow  to  invent  and  discover,  and  of  which  they  now 
vauut  themselves;  exhibiting  them  in  “The  World’s  Fairs,” 
and  extolling  them  as  the  glories  of  the  age.  And  by  his 
own  mere  mental  confidence,  whenever  God  permit  him,  Satan 
can  subordinate  the  laws,  and  apply  the  forces  of  Electricity 
and  of  Meteorology;  and  can  change  the  conditions  of  Ani¬ 
mal  Chemistry  ;  and  can  cause  muscular  contraction  ;  and  all 
this  he  has  done,  that  he  might  gratify  his  malice  against  man, 
and  especially  against  those  who  are  beloved  and  accepted  of 
God.  The  history  of  Job,  and  the  case  of  that  woman  whom 
Satan  had  bound  during  eighteen  years,  establish  all  that  we 
have  said,  and  suggest  the  probability  of  very  much  more. 
(Job  1 :  13-19  ;  —  2 :  T  ;  Luke  13  :  16.)  And  as  a  Master  in 
“Mental  and  Moral  Philosophy,”  who  can  compare  with  the 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


73 


devil  ?  The  greatest  man  who  occupies  the  Collegiate 
Cathedra ,  is  but  a  babe  in  knowledge,  as  compared  with 
him.  He  had  thoroughly  mastered  the  Science  of  the  Human 
Mind,  before  he  whispered  his  blandishments  into  the  ear  of 
the  innocent  woman,  through  the  serpent’s  form  ;  and  he  well 
knew  how  to  use  the  charms  of  rhetoric,  and  to  apply  the 
power  of  “  moral  suasion,”  which  was  then  powerful  for  evil, 
as  used  against  the  truth  and  honor  of  God ;  even  as  it  is 
now. 

Satan’s  proficiency  in  Mental  and  Moral  Science  is  evinced 
in  the  experimental  history  of  the  saints  of  God — in  all  the 
temptations  which  they  endure.  By  his  mere  mental  and  evil 
confidence  he  can  touch  the  secret  laws  of  mind  ;  and  such 
evil  thoughts  as  he  wishes  to  excite,  instantly  and  involuntarily 
arise.  This  he  docs,  besides  his  evil  works  in  the  children  of 
disobedience.  He  assails  the  saints  from  without;  but  he 
works  in  the  disbelieving  and  lawless  ones,  and  exercises 
their  evil  hearts,  and  intensifies  the  intellectual  power  of  their 
evil  minds. 

Satan  is  at  large.  He  walks  the  earth  and  roams  the 
heavens  ;  but  he  is  not  omnipresent.  Ubiquity  is  not  an  attri¬ 
bute  of  his.  Yet,  satanic  evil  prevails  over  the  face  of  the 
habitable  earth ;  and  in  every  country  where  they  sojourn,  the 
children  of  God  are  plied  with  temptations  to  evil,  and  are 
sorely  tried.  Satan’s  evil  host  of  demons,  do  his  wicked  will. 
They  showed  their  malicious  power  in  the  days  of  the  Lord 
and  his  apostles-;  but  were  constrained  to  submit  to  the  power 
of  faith,  in  the  word  of  “  the  second  man and  to  the  power 
of  “  faith  in  his  name,”  as  put  forth  by  his  embassadors  whom 
He  had  sent. 

There  is  no  reason  for  believing  that  the  presence  of  demons, 
in  the  midst  of  human  Society,  is  more  restricted,  or  that 
their  evil  power  is  less  active  now,  than  in  “  the  days  of  the 
Son  of  man”  and  of  his  apostles.  But  the  effects  of  their 
malicious  powers  can  be  otherwise  accounted  for  now.  The 

7 


71 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


world  is  too  wise  to  believe  in  demoniacal  possessions  and 
“familiar  spirits”  now;  and  a  “  soothsayer  ”  who  had  a 
demon,  a  spirit  of  P)Tthon  ;  and  the  healing  of  diseases  by 
incantations,  &c.,  (Acts  16:  16-18,)  would  be  called  by  gentle 
and  respectful  names  now. 

Men  fyave  little,  or  no,  conception  of  the  intelligence  and 
power  of  demons ;  who  can  not  only  afflict  and  torture  men, 
through  the  corporeal  organism,  but  can  form  a  superhuman 
and  spiritual  amalgam  (so  to  speak)  with  the  souls  of  men. 
They  are  spirits — evil  spirits  ;  and  seven  of  them,  yea  many 
of  them,  can  thus  combine  with  one  human  soul  ;  and  can  use 
the  mental  organism  of  that  soul  for  the  purposes  of  super¬ 
human  phenomena,  in  the  way  of  intelligence,  and  in  various 
other  ways,  even  to  the  working  of  miracles  on  the  earth. 
(Luke  8  :  2,  30  ;  Matth.  24  :  24.)  And  towards  the  close  of 
this  Age,  the  governmental  restraint  of  the  Spirit  of  God  will 
be  taken  off  from  the  powers  of  evil.  It  was  so  towards  the 
close  of  the  first  or  Adamic  Age.  God  had  long  restrained, 
within  certain  limits,  the  moral  evil  of  man,  since  the  first 
man  disobeyed.  But  a  day  came  on  which  Jehovah  said, 
“  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  rule*  among  men  ;  for  that  he 
also  is  flesh  :  yet  his  days  shall  be  an  hundred  and  twenty 
years.”  (Gen.  6  :  3.)  And  at  the  close  of  the  third  and 
last,  the  Messianic  Age,  the  restraint  imposed  on  the  world’s 
evil  during  the  thousand  years  will  be  taken  off  for  a  little 
season.  And  towards  the  close  of  this  present,  the  Noachic 
Age,  God,  will  to  a  great  degree,  take  off  the  restraining 
power  of  his  Spirit  from  the  nations  of  the  world.  Paul 
wrote  of  the  restraint  put  upon  moral  and  spiritual  evil  in  his 
day  ;  but  he  showed  that  an  hour  would  come  when  the  in¬ 
terposing  power  of  restraint  would  be  removed.  And  in 
reference  to  that  coming  hour,  he  says,  “And  then  shall  that 


*  Yadon,  the  future  of  boon;  from  deen,  to  judge  or  rule;  particu¬ 
larly,  in  the  way  of  restraiuing  evil. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


75 


Wicked  one  be  revealed,  whom  the  Lord  shall  consume  with 
the  spirit  (or  breath,  see  Isa.  11  :  4,)  of  his  mouth,  and  shall 
destroy  with  the  brightness  of  his  coming.”  In  protestant, 
ecclesiastical  teaching,  it  is  commonly  said,  that,  “  The  man 
of  sin,  the  son  of  perdition,  that  Wicked  one,  is  popery  and 
the  Pope.  But  at  the  same  time  it  is  taught  that  popery  is 
to  be  destroyed  before  the  millennium,  and  that  the  thousand 
years  are  to  have  passed  away,  before  the  Lord  of  glory  shall 
come  again.”  But  “that  Wicked  one”  is  to  be  in  full  power 
on  the  earth  when  “  the  Lord  himself-  shall  descend  from 
heaven  and  by  the  manifested  splendor  of  whose  majestic 
presence  (tee  epiphaneia  tees  par ousias  autou)  that  Wicked 
one  shall  be  destroyed.  But  that  Wicked  one  is  yet  to  be 
revealed  ;  and  his  parousia,  his  manifested  presence  and  royal 
state,  shall  be  according  to  both  the  intellectual  and  the 
physical  energy  of  Satan  ;  in  all  power  and  signs,  (seemeiois 
miracles)  and  lying  wonders,  or  wonders  whereby  his  great 
lie  will  be  commended  to  the  reception  of  the  world.  (2 
Thess.  2  :  8,  9.)  All  that  can  fascinate  the  human  intellect, 
dazzle  the  imagination  and  gratify  the  evil  heart  of  man,  will 
be  displayed  in  him,  and  in  the  surroundings  of  hie  presence 
and  sway.  Such  will  be  “  the  antichrist ;”  who  will  not  con¬ 
fess  Jesus  Christ  come  in  flesh  ;  (1  Jno.  4  :  3,)  but  will  deny 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ — denying  the  Father  and  the  Son.* 
(1  Jno.  2:  22.)  But  the  ruling  spirit  in  all  this  spiritual 
evil  and  phenomenal  display,  even  Satan,  will  be  transformed 
as  an  angel  of  light,  to  the  deceived  heart  of  those  who  will 
admire  and  worship  the  power  so  marvelously  displayed. 
And  about  that  time,  the  devil  and  his  angels  shall  be  cast 
out  of  the  heavenlies,  and  restricted  to  the  earth.  Rev.  12  : 

*  “The  Antichrist”  will  be  the  imperial  Head  of  that  two-fold  system 
of  political  and  moral  power ;  dramatically  represented  under  the  forms 
and  characteristics  of  “the  beast”  that  comes  up  out  of  the  sea;  and 
“  another  beast  that  comes  up  out  of  the  earth,”  and  is  afterwards 
called  “  the  false  prophet.”  Rev.  13  ch. — 16  :  13. 


76 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


7-12.)  This  will  be  the  first  stage  in  the  physical  degrada¬ 
tion  of  “that  old*  serpent,  which  is  the  devil  and  Satan. ” 
(Gen.  3  :  14.)  This  stage  of  degradation  shall  continue  only 
“  a  short  time;”  and  then  the  great  adversary  shall  be  cast 
into  the  abyss  and  shall  be  confined  there  a  thousand  years ; 
and  shall  afterwards  be  loosed  out  of  his  prison  for  a  little 
season.  (Rev.  20  :  1-3,  7.) 

At  the  close  of  the  Messianic  administration,  the  wicked 
dead  shall  be  raised,  and  shall  be  judged.  (Rev.  20  :  5, 
11-15.)  And  we  are  now  led  to  ask,  what  is  the  revealed 
and  final  penalty  of  human  sin,  or  the  revealed  destiny  of 
man,  as  man,  and  as  a  sinner  against  God  ?  To  this  ques¬ 
tion,  men  have  offered  a  reply,  in  the  form  of  ecclesiastical 
teaching ;  and  God  has  furnished  an  answer,  in  the  Scriptures 
of  Truth.  Our  immediate  concern  is  with  the  reply  of  men. 

From  the  various  Schools  of  Theology  in  Christendom,  the 
decision  has  gone  forth,  that  “  The  destiny  of  men,  who  die  in 
their  sins,  is,  immortality  in  endless  death — a  never-dying 
death which  is  explained  to  be,  “an  everlasting  life,  in 
living  agony  and  ceaseless  woe.”  The  doctrine  thus  an¬ 
nounced,  is  taught  and  enforced  in  a  variety  of  ways.  The 
substance  of  the  teaching  is  this,  viz.  : 

“  From  the  moment  that  each  man  dies,  who  dies  in  his 
sins,  his  soul  is  consigned  to  a  place  and  state  of  fire  and 
torture.  Each  soul  has  all  its  moral  and  mental  faculties 
unimpared  and  exceedingly  active — the  memory  and  con¬ 
science  being  especially  active  and  in  full  force.  The  sus¬ 
ceptibility  of  suffering  in  the  case  of  the  wretched  soul,  is 
exceedingly  increased,  as  compared  with  its  former  state.  In 
the  fiery  dungeon  to  which  the  souls  of  sinners  are  consigned, 
they  are  shut  up,  together  with  the  devil  and  his  angels,  who 
are  therein  tormented,  and  are  the  authorized  tormentors  of 
human  souls.  A  fierce  tempest,  and  the  raging  billows  of 
divine  wrath,  toss  and  overwhelm  and  torture  those  miserable 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


77 


souls  ;  without  one  momentary  lull,  that  would  allow  one 
instant  of  relief,  or  lessen  the  dreadful  woe.” 

“  Thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  human  souls  are  daily 
consigned  to  that  world  of  fire  and  of  living  death.  Millions 
of  them  have  been  therein  tortured  for  thousands  of  years 
past :  and  hereafter  all  those  damned  souls  shall  be  brought 
forth  to  be  tried  and  judged.  When  united  to  their  former 
bodies,  those  bodies  shall  be  made  immortal  and  incorrupti¬ 
ble  ;  and  shall  be  endued  with  a  capacity  of  suffering, 
unspeakably  greater  than  that  which  pertained  to  them  when 
in  their  natural  constitution  and  state — whatever  degree  of 
torture,  they  may  have  been  capable  of  enduring  on  earth. 
Being  thus  re-embodied,  they  will  be  arraigned,  and  will  be 
judged  according  to  their  deeds.  Being  there,  and  then 
found  to  be  unworthy  of  heaven,  and  deserving  of  eternal 
torture,  the  angry  Judge,  even  Jesus  Christ — without  one 
merciful  feeling,  and  with  fiery  wrath — will  drive  them  back 
into  the  flaming  hell  out  of  which  they  had  been  brought,  to 
be  tried  and  condemned  There,  in  that  furnace  of  fire,  they 
shall  not  be  burnt  up — shall  never  be  consumed.  Capital 
punishment  shall  never  be  inflicted  on  them — they  shall  never 
die,  but  shall  live  forever ;  and  shall  be  tortured  anew  and 
forever,  with  tortures  exceedingly  greater  than  those  they 
endured  before— millions  of  them  for  thousands  of  years 
before.  And  this  inconceivable  excess  of  torture  (which  the 
new  constitution,  and  the  immortality,  of  their  bodies,  both 
provides  for,  and  secures)  their  angry  Judge,  Jesus  Christ, 
will  unceasingly  and  fiercely  inflict.” 

“  The  devil  and  his  angels  shall  again  be  the  immediate 
associates  of  these  immortal  wretches,  and  will  be  their 
ingenious  tormentors.  And  God  will  have  so  constituted  the 
immortal  bodies  of  the  damned,  and  also,  the  fires  of  hell,  that 
the  fiercest  action  of  those  fires  shall  not  ever  begin  to  burn 
up  those  bodies.  Those  fires  shall  inflict  the  most  inconceiv¬ 
able  torture,  but  they  shall  not  shrivel  a  muscle,  nor  shrink  a 


78 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


nerve  ;  but  rather  they  shall  be  conservative  in  their  nature 
and  effects,  even  as  salt  is  preservative  to  animal  substances 
before  any  decay  has  begun.  And  God  will  so  exert  his 
wrath  against  the  souls  of  the  damned,  that  while  they  are 
ever  being  transfixed  and  agonized  by  its  keen  and  tormenting 
force,  the  immortal  vigor  of  those  souls  shall  not  in  the  least 
degree  be  lessened ;  neither  shall  their  exceedingly  keen 
sensibilities,  to  anguish,  ever  begin  to  be  blunted,  or  abate. 
For,  by  the  secret  exercise  of  his  omnipotence,  God  will  ever 
sustain  that  vigor  and  those  -sensibilities  ;  in  order  that  the 
deathless  anguish  of  those  tormented  souls  might  never,  even 
for  one  moment,  be  decreased — while  eternity  rolls  on.’7 

“  As  the  inhabitants  of  that  world  of  fire  will  hate  God 
with  an  inveterate  enmity,  they  will  still  continue  to  sin 
against  him,  and  increasingly  to  rebel,  and  will  curse  and 
blaspheme  God  to  his  face.  Never,  for  one  moment,  will 
they  cower  beneath  his  fiercest  wrath  :  but  knowing  that  they 
are  immortal  and  cannot  be  destroyed,  they  will  stand  up 
boldly  and  defy  the  living  God.  And  God  will  detest  those 
damned  sinners  with  an  implacable  detestation,  (though  he 
once,  greatly  loved  those  same  sinners,  when  they  were  upon 
the  earth,  and  was  continually  doing  them  good,)  and  in  his 
infinite  wrath,  he  will  be  their  enemy,  and  will  torture  them 
in  proportion  as  they  insult  him.  lie  will  resent  every  insult 
offered  to  him,  with  instant  and  increasing  anger.  And  thus, 
according  to  the  ratio  of  increased  and  increasing  rebellion 
and  blasphemy,  will  be  the  fierceness  of  tormenting  wrath  ; 
and  according  to  the  ratio  of  increased  and  increasing  torture, 
will  be  the  increase  of  defiant  blasphemies  and  insulting  hate. 
And  so,  defiant  hatred,  insult  and  blasphemy  on  the  part  of 
men,  and  angry  detestation  and  torturing  activity  on  the  part 
of  God,  will  forever  continue,  and  forever  increase — will  be 
forever  rising,  in  the  rage  of  impotent  hatred  on  the  part  of 
men,  and  in  the  fierceness  of  tormenting  detestation  on  the 
part  of  God.” 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


79 


11  This  immensity  of  lawless  and  defiant  wickedness  on  the 
one  side,  and  of  merciless  torture  on  the  other,  shall  take 
place,  and  shall  ever  be  transpiring,  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
paradise  of  God.  It  shall,  indeed,  take  place  in  the  “  bottom¬ 
less  pit  ”■ — where  the  damned  shall  be  imprisoned  with  the 
devil  and  his  angels — but  it  shall  take  place  in  the  vicinity  of 
heaven,  and  shall  ever  be  open  to  the  view  of  the  blessed, 
even  as  the  paradise  of  God  shall  ever  be  within  the  view  of 
the  damned  in  hell  The  design  of  this  is  two-fokl.  First, 
the  place  of  human  agony,  and  of  divine  tormenting  fierce¬ 
ness,  shall  be  so  situated,  in  order  that  the  angels  of  God  and 
the  glorified  saints,  might  have  a  full  and  continuous  view  of 
all  that  is  transpiring  therein  ;  and  might  have  fellowship  with 
God  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  implacable  detes¬ 
tation  and  tormenting  power  that  will  be  shown  towards  those 
human  sinners,  whose  ceaseless  agonies  they  behold  ;  and, 
also,  in  order  that  their  own  celestial  joys  and  beatitude  might 
thereby,  be  intensified  and  made  complete.  And,  secondly, 
the  .prison  of  hell  will  be  placed  in  the  vicinity  of  the  para¬ 
dise  of  God,  in  order  that  the  tormented  damned  might  have 
a  full  and  continuous  view  of  the  exultant  blessedness  of  the 
angels  of  God,  and  of  the  glorified  saints ;  and  that  from  the 
abodes  of  the  blessed,  and  the  blessedness  that  is  there 
enjoyed,  a  distillation  of  burning  bitterness  may  ever  be 
descending  upon  the  souls  of  the  damned,  to  intensify  their 
anguish  and  fill  to  overflowing  their  cup  of  manifold  and  un¬ 
imaginable  woes.” 

“  And  this  scene  of  endless  misery  and  ever-increasing 
anguish  will  lie  so  near  to  the  home  of  the  glorified  saints, 
that  individuals  will  be  readily  seen  and  recognized  from  both 
sides  of  the  gulf  between.  Glorified  saints,  in  heaven,  will 
see  and  recognize  some  of  their  nearest  and  dearest  friends 
and  relatives,  in  hell.  They  will  look  on  and  see  them 
writhing  beneath  endless  tortures,  and  tossed  upon  the  fiery 
billows  of  eternal  and  unappeasable  wrath.  They  will  thus 


80 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


look  down  upon  and  recognize  their  own  husbands,  or  wives, 
or  brothers,  or  sisters,  or  fathers,  or  mothers,  or  sons,  or 
daughters  ;  and  their  heart  will  not  feel  or  know  the  senti¬ 
ment  of  pity  for  them,  in  their  woes.  Nay,  they  will  thus 
look  down  and  gaze  upon  the  agonies  of  those  who,  on  the 
earth,  were  their  dearest  and  best  beloved  ;  not  only  with 
pitiless  indifference,  but  also  with  rejoicing  and  delight ;  and 
will  sing  and  praise  God  for  the  agonies  which  they  behold  ; 
and  to  this  end,  they  shall  have  been  endued  of  God  with  a 
suitable  disposition  of  mind.” 

“  After  they  have  thus  looked  down  and  gazed,  for  millions 
of  ages,  on  the  agonies  of  those  who,  on  earth,  were  as  dear 
to  them,  as  the  apple  of  their  eye — and  were  even  more  dearly 
and  tenderly  loved — they  will  not  even  begin  to  feel  the  first 
emotion  of  pity,  on  account  of  the  agonies  they  behold. 
Those  on  whom  they  will  thus  gaze,  without  the  first  kindling 
of  an  incipient  feeling  of  compassion,  they  could  not  endure 
to  see,  when  on  earth,  in  one  hour  of  pain  or  sorrow,  without 
the  tenderest  sympathy  and  love ;  but  then,  when  they  are  in 
heaven,  they  will  rejoice  bver  their  ceaseless  and  most  excru¬ 
ciating  agonies  ;  and  will  praise  God  for  such  displays  of  his 
relentless  anger — his  eternal  and  insatiable  wrath.  And 
throughout  the  never-ending  ages  of  eternity,  the  defiant 
shrieks  and  howling  blasphemies  of  the  tormented  damned, 
shall  mingle,  in  hellish  discord,  with  the  melodious  anthems, 
and  jubilant  Hallelujahs  of  the  saved ;  and  these  shall 
together  enter  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth ;  who 
will  be  as  intensely  occupied  with  the  one,  in  the  fierceness 
of  his  unappeasable  anger,  as  he  will  be  with  the  other,  in  the 
strength  and  the  tenderness  of  his  rejoicing  and  paternal 
love.” 

We  have  now  given  a  sober  and  subdued  statement  of  the 
doctrine  put  forth,  and  the  representations  made,  in  the  way 
of  ecclesiastical  teaching,  and  as  offering  a  reply  to  the  ques¬ 
tion,  What  is  the  revealed  penalty  of  sin,  or  the  final  destiny 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


81 


of  man,  as  man  ?  From  the  Press  and  from  the  Pulpit,  this 
reply  has,  for  centuries,  gone  forth.  In  every  country  in 
Christendom,  and  in  every  city  and  hamlet,  this  teaching  is 
heard  ;  and  is  enforced  with  the  appliances  of  a  fervid  elo¬ 
quence,  on  the  part  of  some,  and  with  a  vulgar  ferocity  on  the 
part  of  others.  It  is  illustrated  by  means  of  a  universal  and 
multiplying  arithmetic,  and  by  means  of  a  sensuous  repre¬ 
sentation  of  the  most  varied  and  terrifying  kind  :  and  by  such 
means,  it  is  burnt  into  the  souls  of  the  masses,  as  with  a  hot 
iron  ;  the  die  of  which  is  said  to  have  been  formed  in  heaven, 
by  the  immediate  appointment  of  God,  for  the  especial  use 
of  the  “ambassadors  for  Christ.” 

The  “’God”  of  the  representation  which  we  have  soberly 
sketched,  is  the  God  of  the  masses  of  Christendom, -whom 
they  worship,  or  affect  to  worship,  through  dread,  and  whom 
they  seek  to  appease  and  conciliate  by  the  observance  of 
ecclesiastical  and  religious  forms,  and  “duties,”  so  called. 
And  the  “Jesus  Christ”  of  this  representation,  is  said  to  be 
the  same  Jesus,  that  came  into  the  world,  having  his  heart 
filled  wifti  love  to  human  sinners  ;  -and  who  died  upon  the 
cross  to  save.  He  is  represented  as  most  ready  and  willing 
to  save  sinners ;  but  more  generally,  as  willing  to  help  those 
who  are  willing  to  help  themselves,  by  working  for  the  salva¬ 
tion  of  their  own  souls.  But  he  is  also  represented  as  ready 
to  act  the  part  of  Eternal  Torturer-in- Chief,  towards  all 
sinners — myriads  of  myriads  of  sinners — who  die  in  their  sins. 
And  men  are  called  upon  to  confide  in  him,  and  to  love  him. 
Yea,  he  is  ofttimes  represented  as  saying  to  men,  “Choose 
between  me  and  the  world.  I  give  you  the  right  of  choice. 
Choose  for  yourselves  ;  choose  freely ;  choose  deliberately; 
choose  finally ;  but  if  you  do  not  choose  me,  I  will  shut  you 
up  in  a  furnace  of  ever-burning  fire,  and  will  torment  you  to 
all  eternity.  You  shall  not  die,  but  shall  live  forever ,  in 
deathless  agony  and  nameless  woe.”  And  these  and  such 
like  representations  are  made,  not  only  by  coarse  and  ignoraut 


82 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


men,  but  by  men  of  education  and  refinement — men  of  great 
popularity  and  of  collegiate  and  ecclesiastical  renown. 

The  Lord  Jesus  is,  in  truth,  the  Judge  of  the  quick  and  of 
the  dead.  “  The  Father  judgeth  no  one,  but  hath  committed 
all  judgment  unto  the  Son.”  And  Jesus — the  Righteous 
Judge,  who  is  the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  forever — . 
has  furnished  an  example  of  his  mode  of  pronouncing  judg¬ 
ment  on  sinful  and  rebellious  men.  He  did  so,  when  he  sat 
upon  the  Mount  of  Olives,  weeping  over  Jerusalem,  while  he 
pronounced  her  dreadful  doom,  And  as  we  contemplate  him 
there,  and  listen  to  the  subdued  tones  of  just  retribution,  as 
uttered  by  him,  and  see  the  streaming  sorrow  flow  from  his 
weeping  eyes,  we  are  reminded  of  the  title  of  a  discourse, 
once  founded  on  that  record  of  the  weeping  Judge,  viz.  : — 
“  The  Redeemer’s  Tears,  wept  over  lost  souls.” 

But  it  is  alleged,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  penalty  of  sin,  as 
set  forth  in  ecclesiastical  teaching,  is  founded  on  the  work  of 
God  in  the  human  constitution,  and  on  the  word  of  God  in 
the  Scriptures  of  truth.  The  former  part  of  this  allegation 
relates  to  the  doctrine  of  the  inherent  immortality  of  man. 
That  doctrine,  we  have  weighed  in  the  balances  to  which  its 
advocates  have  appealed,  and  its  fallacy  has  thereby  been 
exposed.  But,  though  it  is  not  sustained  by  sound  reason, 
and  is  discountenanced  by  divine  Revelation,  yet  its  advocates 
affirm,  that,  “  the  doctrine  of  the  immortality  of  the  human 
soul,  is  the  foundation  of  all  religion,  both  Natural  and 
Revealed and  it  is  affirmed  that  that  doctrine  “  is  the 
foundation  of  the  Christian  Faith.”  This  assertion  is  very 
commonly  favored  and  entertained.  But,  have  those  by  whom 
the  assertion  is  made,  and  by  whom  it  is  believed — have  they 
never  read  the  testimony  of  the  God-head,  concerning  the 
foundation,  divinely  laid?  Jehovah  Adoh-nahy  has  said, 
“Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a  foundation,  a  stone,  a  tried 
stone,  a  precious  corner-stone,  a  sure  foundation  :  he  that 
believeth  shall  not  make  haste.”  (Isa.  28:  lGj  I  Pet.  2: 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


83 


6-8.)  And  Jesus,  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  has 
said,  in  reply  to  Peter’s  confession  of  Him — and  as  in  response 
to  the  declaration  of  Jehovah,  the  Father — “And  I  say  unto 
thee,  That  thou  art  Peter ;  ( Petros ,  a  part  of  a  rock,  ora 
Rock-man,)  and  upon  this,  The  Petra,  this  The  Rock,  will 
I  build  my  church  ;  and  Hades’  gates  shall  not  prevail  against 
it.”  (Matth.  16:  18.)  And  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  Paul,  haa 
said,  “  For  other  foundation  can  no  one  lay  than  that  which 
is  laid,  which  is  Christ  Jesus.”  (1  Cor.  3:  11.)  The 
God-man  alone  is  the  foundation. 

But  to  return  to  the  ecclesiastical  doctrine  of  present  and 
future  penalty  and  judgment :  It  is  alleged,  that  certain  prin¬ 
ciples  of  divine  jurisprudence,  render  it  necessary  that  such 
should  be  the  proper  penalty  of  sin.  For  instance ;  an  alle¬ 
gation  is  made  to  the  following  effect : — 

I.  “  Sin  is  infinite  in  its  nature  and  desert;  and  even  one 
act  of  sin  is  deserving  of  an  infinite  penalty  ;  and  this  infinite 
penalty,  God  must  of  necessity  inflict  on  the  finally  evil  man, 
because  that  his  justice  is  infinite  ;  and  being  infinite,  must  be 
infinitely  displayed  in  punishing  impenitent  sinners,  on  ac¬ 
count  of  their  sins.  But,  the  infinity  of  sin  does  not  arise 
from  the  man,  who  is  finite,  but  it  is  derived  from  God,  against 
whom  the  sin  is  committed  ;  because  that  God  being  infinite, 
the  infinity  of  sin  is  derived  from  Him.” 

But,  according  to  the  premise,  and  the  logic  of  the  argu¬ 
ment,  obedience  is  an  infinite  good ,  because  it  is  rendered  to 
God,  who  is  infinite  ;  and  it  is  therefore  entitled,  by  right,  to 
an  infinite  reward.  The  man  who  obeys  God,  by  even  one 
act  of  obedience,  has  acquired  an  infinity  of  moral  worth  and 
merit;  and  he  who  obeys  God  by  a  number  of  acts  of  obedi¬ 
ence,  still  increases  or  confirms  his  right  and  title  to  an  infinite 
reward  :  and  this  acquired  right  and  title,  God  is  bound  to 
respect,  by  conferring  the  reward  which  is  due  ;  because  that 
it  has  been  earned.  God  must  of  necessity  confer  an  infinite 
reward;  because  that,  though  the  obedience  was  due  to  God, 


84 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


yet,  having  been  rendered,  it  is  an  infinite  good,  by  reason  of 
its  relation  to  the  infinity  of  God.  Grace,  mercy,  and  an 
atonement  of  infinite  worth  and  efficacy,  are  all  unnecessary, 
and  Christ  has  died  ( d~rean )  without  any  reason  and  to  no 
worthy  end.  (Gal.  2:  21.) 

Moreover:  The  so-called  “  Unitarian,”  of  that  class  who 
profess  to  believe  in  the  atonement  of  Jesus ;  while  they  deny 
the  Personal  Deity  of  Jesus — such  an  one  could,  by  the  logic 
of  the  above  argument,  show  most  readily  that  he  is  consistent 
with  himself,  in  professing  to  believe  in  the  atonement  of 
Christ.  He  has  only  to  reason  thus  : — “  Though  Jesus  was 
only  a  creature,  yet  he  was  capable  of  making  an  atonement 
of  infinite  worth ;  for  he  was  obedient  unto  death  ;  and  obe¬ 
dience  is  an  infinite  good,  and  is  entitled  to  an  infinite  reward  : 
and  as,  by  the  appointment  of  God,  his  obedience  was  ren¬ 
dered  on  the  behalf  of  others,  so  by  his  vicarious  obedience 
he  has  entitled  others  to  an  infinite  reward,  or  has,  at  the  least, 
laid  a  basis  on  which  God  is  manifestly  just,  in  bestowing  an 
infinite  reward,  even  on  those  who  have  no  deserving  at  all, 
but  on  whose  behalf  Jesus  was  obedient  to  death.” 

Thus  by  means  of  the  logic  of  the  above  argument,  drawn 
from  the  alleged  infinity  of  sin,  a  polished  weapon  is  put  in 
the  hands  of  the  adversaries  of  the  Christian  Faith  ;  and  a 
kind  of  reasoning  is  supplied,  by  which  the  delusion  called 
“  Universalism,”  may  also  be  defended  ;  at  the  same  time  that 
the  Deity  of  Jesus  is  denied. 

The  obedience  of  Jesus  was ,  and  is  an  infinite  good- 
ins  one  act  of  laying  down  his  life  on  the  cross,  in  obedience 
to  the  commandment  of  the  Father,  was  an  infinite  good  ;  but 
that  infinity  of  good,  and  of  value,  was  derived  from  himself 
—from  what  he  is  in  himself — lie  being  essential  God 
and  real  man :  and  on  the  foundation  of  ms  atonement,  God 
the  Father  is  justified  in  justifying  and  giving  eternal  life  to 
sinners,  who  deserve  to  perish  forever. 

But,  to  look  again  at  the  argument  of  which  the  alleged 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


85 


infinity  of  sin  is  tlie  premise  : — When  men  speak  of  “infinite 
justice,”  they  know  not  wliat  they  say,  nor  wdiereof  they 
affirm.  Justice  is  justice,  neither  more  nor  less,  and  does  not 
admit  of  the  idea  of  comparison,  or  of  degrees.  The  symbol 
of  justice  is  the  even  beam ,  of  balances  equally  poised  ;  and 
so  justice  and  equity  are  convertible  terms.  The  cardinal 
principles  of  justice — of  retributive  justice — known  and  pro¬ 
ceeded  upon  on  earth,  have  been  sanctioned  and  confirmed 
from  heaven:  —  “Eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth,  burning  for 
burning,  wTound  for  wound,  stripe  for  stripe.”  (Exod.  21  : 
24,  25.)  These  familiar  words,  spoken  to  Israel  at  the  foot 
of  Mount  Sinai,  embodied  the  axioms  of  justice,  in  the  juris¬ 
prudence  of  heaven,  as  made  known  and  established  on  earth. 
And  the  Lord  from  heaven  has  said,  “  lie  that  is  unjust  in 
the  least,  is  unjust  also  in  much.”  Justice  is  violated  by  the 
least  departure  from  its  principle  of  equity,  and  of  honor 
and  right.  Justice  is  justice ,  whether  its  administration  be 
on  earth  or  in  heaven— whether  it  be  human  or  divine.  Men 
speak  of  the  justice  of  God,  as  though  it  differed  essentially, 
in  his  future  administration,  from  its  entire  history,  in  its 
governmental  administration  during  the  past. 

Divine  justice  is  the  justice  of  the  infinite  God;  but  its 
administration  and  effects  are  limited  to  moral  and  legal 
desert.  And  it  wrould  seem  that,  men,  perceiving  the  truth 
of  this,  invented  the  theory  of  the  infinity  of  sin  :  for  if  an 
infinity  of  moral  and  legal  desert  could  be  shown,  then, 
indeed,  an  infinite  retribution  must  of  necessity  ensue.  But 
the  human  sinner  is  finite,  even  as  every  creature  is  finite, 
and  the  demerit  of  his  sin  is  of  and  from  himself  alone ;  and 
the  legal  desert  of  his  sins  is  determined  by  the  equity  of  God, 
and  is  revealed  in  the  word  of  God.  And  if  there  be  a  “Court 
of  Equity  ”  in  the  universe,  vre  may  be  certain  that  it  is  for¬ 
ever  established  in  heaven,  and  is  presided  over  by  The 
Righteous  Judge. 

II.  The  argument,  we  have  just  examined,  is  professedly 

8 


86 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


drawn  from  the  sin  of  man  ;  but  there  is  another  argument 
which  is  professedly  derived  from  the  wrath  of  God.  It  is 
presented  in  substance,  thus  : — 

“  The  wrath  of  God,  being  an  attribute  of  his  nature,  is 
eternal ;  and  therefore  must  continue  eternally,  in  active 
force  :  but  as  this  continuance,  in  active  force,  requires 
objects  of  demerit,  on  which  to  act,  the  damned  must  live 
forever,  and  must  be  forever  in  conscious  misery ;  for  other¬ 
wise,  the  wrath  of  God  would  be  without  an  object,  and  so 
must  cease  to  exist ;  or,  in  other  words,  if  the  damned  in  hell 
were  ever  allowed  to  perish,  or  should  ever  be  consumed  by 
the  fire  of  God,  then  those  sinners  would  thereby,  be  allowed 
to  escape  the  wrath  of  God  ;  the  wrath  of  God  would  lose  its 
objects,  “  without  an  appeasement;”  and  without  an  appease¬ 
ment  it  must,  nevertheless,  cease  to  exist.  But  as  the  wrath 
of  God  is  an  attribute  of  God,  it  is  eternal,  and  therefore  its 
objects  must  live  for  ever.” 

But  all  this  is  most  unjustifiable  and  evil  ;  and  it  must 
arise,  in  many  cases  at  least,  from  an  undetected  confusion  of 
mind.  The  attributes  of  the  nature  or  Being  of  God  are 
confounded  with  the  attributes  of  his  moral  government  over 
the  world.  Divine  wrath  is  not  an  attribute  of  the  Being  of 
God  ;  neither  is  it  an  emotion  in  the  mind  of  God.  As  He 
has  said,  11  Fury  is  not  in  me.”  But  divine  wrath  is  the 
attribute  or  necessary  characteristic  of  the  penal  administra¬ 
tion  of  the  divine  government.  It  is  the  aspect,  and  relation, 
and  active  bearing  of  the  divine  government  towards  and 
against  sin,  and  sinners  on  account  of  sin. 

God  is  essentially  holy,  and  is  “glorious  in  holiness:”  but 
his  holiness  does  not  consist  in  some  one  of  his  moral 
attributes,  nor  in  the  entire  assemblage  of  his  moral  attributes. 
The  holiness  of  God  consists  in  the  absolute  and  necessary 
opposedness  of  all  his  moral  perfections — of  his  essential 
goodness  and  eternal  excellence — to  all  actual,  and  all  con¬ 
ceivable  moral  evil  or  sin.  And  the  wrath  of  God  consists  in 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


87 


the  adverse  relation  of  his  holiness  towards  moral  evil,  and 
the  beings  in  whom  it  is  found  :  and  the  manifestations  of 
the  wrath  of  God  consist  in  the  active  and  administrative 
displays  of  his  governmental  holiness,  either  as  revealed  to  the 
minds  of  men,  through  his  word,  or  in  the  way  of  dealing 
with  sinners  according  to  their  moral  and  legal  desert. 

Wrath  is  not  an  attribute  of  the  Being  of  God.  The 
objects  and  subjects  of  his  love  and  mercy  and  grace,  were 
“by  nature,  children  of  wrath  — but  God  is  immutable — his 
personal  attributes  cannot  change  ;  the  thoughts  of  his  heart 
are  ever  the  same.  He  is  “without  variableness  or  the 
shadow  of  turning.”  Neither  is  there,  nor  can  there  be,  any 
antagonism  or  variance  in  him,  or  between  the  attributes  of 
bis  nature.  But  those  who  “  were  by  nature  children  of 
wrath,  even  as  others,”  to  them  it  is  said,  “  But  God,  who  is 
rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even 
when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with 
Christ — by  grace  you  are  saved.”  But  nothing  of  this  could 
be  true  if  wrath  were  an  attribute  of  God,  or  an  emotion  of 
his  mind.  (See  Eph.  2  :  4,  5  ;  Isa.  54  :  7,  8,  &c.) 

The  most  awful  and  oppressive  revelations  of  the  wrath  of 
God  were  made  to  the  mind  of  his  only-begotten — his  ah- 
chad — the  one  object  of  his  infinite  love  and  confidence  and 
complacency.  Both  the  garden  and  the  cross  bear  witness 
to  this — the  garden,  where  under  a  full  mental  apprehension 
of  the  wrath  of  God,  as’  due  to  man — “he  sweat  as  it  were 
great  drops  of  blood,  falling  to  the  ground  ;”  and  on  the 
cross,  when  he  cried  out,  “  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou 
forsaken  me  ?” — or,  unto  what  hast  thou  abandoned  me  ? 
And  it  should  ever  be  kept  in  mind  that  the  Son  of  God 
came — not  to  procure  the  Father’s  love,  nor  to  affect  any 
change  in  his  heart — but  to  make  known  and  demonstrate  the 
Father’s  eternal  love  ;  and  to  lay  a  judicial  basis  for  its 
honorable  and  eternal  display.  He  did  not  come  to 
“ appease ”  an  attribute  of  God’s  nature,  nor  an  angry 


83 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


emotion  in  the  Father’s  heart.  He  came  to  accomplish  the 
eternal  purpose  and  grace  of  God,  given  us  in  him,  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world  :  yet  he  was  called  to  enter  experi¬ 
mentally  into  a  full  estimate  of  the  wrath  of  God,  as  due  to 
“  the  sons  of  men.” 

And  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that,  “  The  high  and  lofty 
One  that  inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is  Holy,”  when 
speaking  of  the  mental  apprehension  of  his  wrath,  on  the 
part  of  Israelites  who  had  learned  the  truth  concerning  his 
wrath,  through  his  holy  law,  and  who  were  consequently  of  a 
contrite  and  humble  spirit ;  of  them  he  says,  that  he  dwells 
with  such,  “to  revive  the  spirit  of  the  humble  and  to  revive 
the  heart  of  the  contrite  ones.”  And  this  is  the  reason  which 
he  assigns  : — “  For  I  will  not  contend  forever,  neither  will  I 
be  always  wroth:  for  the  spirit  should  fail  before  me,  and  the 
souls  which  I  have  made.”  (Isa.  57:  15,  16.)  And  in  this 
way,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  has  made  known  the  truth,  that 
prolonged  manifestations  of  his  wrath,  even  to  the  minds  of 
men,  (without  any  penal  infliction  whatever,)  would  cause 
their  souls  to  fail;  or  faint,  or  swoon — “gaii-tapii,  to  bo 
covered,  to  be  overwhelmed,  and  so  to  become  insensible  and 
inert. 

But,  besides  these  several  considerations,  it  must  be  ob¬ 
served,  that  the  thoughtless  statement,  that  wrath  is  an 
attribute  of  the  Being  of  God,  and  is  an  emotion  in  the  heart 
of  God — this  strange  conceit  includes  the  astounding  idea 
that  God  was  angry  before  the  world  began  ;  that  fury  was  in 
him,  in  the  eternity  of  the  past ;  that  before  either  man  or 
angel  was  created,  God  was  an  angry  God,  and  craved  for 
some  suitable  objects  of  his  wrath.:  and  so  this  very  evil 
thought  is  included: — that,  in  the  eternity  of  the  past,  the 
social  nature  in  the  mystery  of  the  God-head,  was  moved  and 
disturbed  by  the  craving  emotions  of  an  infinite  wrath. 

III.  But  in  teaching  the  doctrine  of  divine,  insatiable 
wrath — wrath  that  never  can  cease  “  without  an  appeasement,” 


"WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


89 


and  that  never  can  be  appeased,  bnt  would  be  disappointed 
by  the  utter  destruction  of  its  objects,  beneath  its  own  tortur¬ 
ing  displays — in  teaching  this  doctrine,  men  adduce  certain 
texts  of  Holy  Scripture,  which  they  offer  as  “proof  texts;” 
and  they  gloss  and  construe  those  texts,  by  the  pernicious 
assumption,  that,  wrath  is  an  attribute  of  the  Being  of  God, 
and  an  emotion  in  the  heart  of  God  ;  and  also  that,  immor¬ 
tality  is  the  distinguishing  attribute  of  man.  On  these  false 
and  evil  premises  those  passages  are  construed,  and  are 
persistently  pressed,  in  polemic  discourse. 

If  it  were  true,  that,  immortality  is  an  essential  attribute  of 
man,  then  indeed,  it  must  be  admitted  and  maintained  that  a 
doctrine  of  endless  life  in  ceaseless  woe,  is  a  doctrine  of  the 
inspired  Book.  We  say  a  doctrine,  but  dare  not  say  the 
doctrine  which  ecclesiastical  teaching  sets  forth.  But  if  it 
were  true,  as  it  is  manifestly  false, -that  man  is  an  immortal 
being,  then  it  must  be  maintained — whatever  kind  or  degree 
of  difficulty  might  seem  to  surround  the  subject,  and  might 
actually  oppress  our  minds — it  must,  we  repeat,  be  maintained 
that  a  doctrine  of  endless  misery  is  a  doctrine  of  the  inspired 
Book.  For  the  soporific  delusion,  called  “  Universalism,” 
is  based  on  a  formal  contradiction  of  the  concurrent  and 
emphatic  testimony  of  the  Revelation  which  God  has  inspired. 
It  is  a  delusion  of  Satan,  and  may  readily  be  traced  up  to  the 
bold,  bad  words  of  the  tempter,  when  he  said  unto  the  woman, 

V- 

“No  death!  You  shall  not  die”  For  it  has  a  common 
origin  with  the  doctrine  of  the  inherent  immortality  of  man. 
“  Universalism,”  and  the  doctrine  of  “  man’s  essential  immor¬ 
tality,”  are  twins;  from  the  same  evil  parentage,  that  calum¬ 
niated  God  in  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and  at  the  same  time 
effected  the  ruin  of  man.  And  it  is  unquestionable,  that 
many  superior  minds  have  been  wrecked  on  the  quicksands  of 
“  Universalism ;”  to  which  they  have  been  steered  by  the 
false  and  treacherous  pilot,  called  “the  immortality  of  man  ;” 
and  affirmed  to  be  the  Basipisteds ,  the  Royal  Support  of 

8* 


90 


WHAT  IS  MAX  ? 


“the  Faith”  “the  foundation  of  the  Christian  Religion” — * 
“the  foundation  of  all  religion,  both  Natural  and  Revealed.” 

The  passages  most  commonly  quoted,  and  which  are  con¬ 
strued  by  the  false  assumptions  which  we  have  exposed,  are 
these,  viz. : — 

1.  Mark  9:  48.  “Where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the 
fire  is  not  quenched.”  It  is  alleged,  that,  “This  passage  is 
an  evidence  of  the  inherent  immortality  of  man,  and  of  the 
doctrine  of  endless  misery,  as  taught  in  the  visible  church.” 

We  must  at  once  notice  the  dexterous  device  adopted,  when 
this  and  such  like  passages  are  adduced.  First ,  the  inherent 
immortality  of  man  is  assumed  ;  then,  this  assumed,  and  false 
principle  is  employed  to  interpret  the  text;  and  then,  the 
text  is  adduced  to  prove  the  immortality  of  man,  and,  as  a 
necessary  conclusion,  the  doctrine  of  eternal  life  in  agonizing 
woe.  This  method  of  reasoning  in  a  circle  is  the  chief 
resource  of  the  advocates  of  the  doctrine  of  eternal  torture, 
which  we  have  described. 

On  the  text  itself — as  recorded  in  Mark  9  ch. — we  remark, 

1.  The  disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus — both  real  and  nomi¬ 
nal — were  Jews,  and  were  well  acquainted  with  certain  his¬ 
torical  facts,  and  with  a  proverbial  phraseology  founded 
thereon,  which  Gentiles,  and  particularly,  occidental  Gentiles, 
may  need  to  learn  and  understand.  Those  Jews  therefore, 
were  not  likely  to  misunderstand  the  Lord,  as  certain  Gentile 
teachers  have  misconstrued  his  awful  words.  In  his  premoni¬ 
tory  teaching — as  recorded  in  Mark  9  ch. — the  Lord  Jesus 
instructed  his  professed  disciples,  concerning  the  purity  and 
incorruptness  that  are  the  proper  characteristics  of  those  who 
truly  serve  and  worship  the  living  and  holy  God  ;  and  he 
warned  them  against  being,  by  any  means,  ensnared  into 
lawless  and  unpardonable  sin.  lie  taught  them,  that  every¬ 
thing  that  tended  to  ensnare  them  was  to  be  cast  from  them, 
though  it  might  be  to  them,  as  men,  useful  as  the  hand, 
serviceable  as  the  foot,  or  precious  as  the  eye ;  and  he 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


91 


forewarned  them,  that,  unholy  and  lawless  professors  of  his 
name  would  be  visited  with  condign  punishment,  which  he 
compared  to  an  ignominious  and  destructive  end  ;  the  loath¬ 
some  and  lurid  image  and  instruments  of  which,  were  familiar 
to  their  minds,  lie  reminded  them  of  the  valley  of  the  son 
of  Hinnom,  which  is  called,  Gee-biien-JIinnom  and  Gee- 
Hinnom,  in  the  Hebrew,  and  Ge-enna  or  Gehenna,  in  the 
Greek,  and  in  the  English  Version  is  represented  by  the  word 
“  hell.” 

Gee-Hinnom,  or  Gehenna,  is  the  name  of  a  glen  outside  of 
the  City  of  Jerusalem,  and  exposed  to  view  from  the  adjacent 
heights.  And  the  awful  words  of  the  Lord — “Where  their 
worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched” — include  a 
two-fold  reference,  which  Jews  would  well  understand.  He 
refers  to  a  matter  of  topography,  and  of  history.  In  the 
Valley  of  Hinnom,  the  heathen  had,  in  ancient  times,  sacri¬ 
ficed  their  children  to  Moloch,  and  subsequently,  the  Israelites 
had  committed  the  same  inhuman  and  horrid  crime.  (Jer.  1  : 
3-33)  But  when  Josiah  wrought  a  reformation  in  Judah, 
he  “defiled  Tophet”  or  Gehenna,  (see  Jer.  19  :  6,)  and  made 
it  an  abomination  to  the  minds  of  the  Jews,  that  they  might 
not  resort  thither,  for  the  observance  of  idolatrous  rites.  (2 
Kings  23  :  10.)  History  informs  us  that  this  glen  was  made 
the  scene  of  the  most  disgusting  forms  of  animal  decom¬ 
position,  and  that  the  bodies  of  dead  beasts,  and  of  executed 
malefactors,  were  cast  into  Gehenna,  to  fester  and  rot,  and  be 
utterly  consumed.  But  as  the  supply  was  continuous,  so  the 
worm,  bred  out  of  putrescence,  was  always  there,  and  in 
view ;  and  the  fire,  kindled  by  the  City  Authorities,  was 
always  kept  burning,  and  also  in  view.  But  we  find  sufficient 
information  in  the  scriptures  of  truth,  for  the  defence  of  the 
truth. 

The  historic  facts  and  judicial  relations  of  Gehenna  were 
familiar  to  the  disciples  of  the  Lord.  They  would  also  be 
aware,  that  Isaiah  had  recorded  a  prediction,  which  is  yet  to 


92 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


be  fulfilled,  in  that  valley  of  slaughter:  and  to  this  prediction, 
the  Lord  also,  referred.  (Isa.  66 :  24.)  This  prophecy 
relates  to  the  time  when  the  haughty,  and  martial,  and 
monarchic  enemies  of  the  Messiah  shall  be  made  a  foot-stool 
for  his  feet.  (Ps.  110:  1;  Heb.  1:  13.)  When  this  has 
taken  place  “all  flesh”  shall  go  up  to  Jerusalem  to  confess^ 
and  do  homage  to  the  true  God,  Jehovah.  And  thus  “  saith 
Jehovah,  They  shall  go  forth  ( upon  the  heights ,  adjacent  to 
Gehenna,)  and  shall  look  upon  the  carcasses  (peh-ger,  dead , 
putrifying,  disgusting  carcasses,)  of  the  men  who  have 
transgressed  against  me  ;  for  their  worm  shall  not  die, 
neither  shall  their  fire  be  quenched,  and  they  shall  be  an 
abhorring  unto  all  flesh.” 

To  this  predictive  passage,  the  Lord  refers,  in  Mark  9  cli.  ; 
and  if  the  words  of  this  passage  prove  the  immortality  of  any 
thing,  it  must  be  the  immortality  of  loathsome  worms,  bred 
out  of  putrefaction,  and  of  dead  carcasses,  rotting  in  the  sun, 
preyed  upon  by  the  voracious  worm,  and  being  dissipated  in 
noxious  vapor  by  the  flaming  fire.  Many  ecclesiastical 
teachers  may  “be  slow  to  believe  that  the  “carcasses,” 
mentioned  in  Isa.  66  :  24,  mean  “  dead  bodies,”  and  that  the 
“  worm”  mentioned  means  a  loathsome  crawling  worm ;  for  it 
is  evident,  that,  in  many  respects,  they  are  “  slow  of  heart  to 
believe  all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken.”  Nevertheless, 
the  truth  of  the  prophecy  stands  and  the  prediction  will  yet 
be  fulfilled. 

When  the  Lord  addressed  his  disciples — as  recorded  in 
Mark  9  :  13-48,  he  used  proverbial  language,  derived  from 
historic  and  prophetic  facts.  And  as  all  true  figures  are 
founded  in  real  facts,  we  must  have  respect  to  the  facts 
referred  to  by  the  Lord,  if  we  would  understand  his  awful 
words.  By  the  impressive  figures  of  speech  which  he  em¬ 
ployed,  he  showed  and  illustrated  the  certain  and  ignominious 
and  destructive  doom  of  all  false  Christians  and  apostates,  at 
the  judgment  of  the  great  day  :  and  he  has  shown  that  they 


WITAT  IS  MAN  ? 


93 


shall  be  cast  into  that  Gehenna,  of  which  the  topographic  and 
historic  Gehenna  is  a  most  significant  type ;  and  that  therein, 
by  the  consuming  activity  of  their  own  remorse,  bred  out  of 
tlieir  own  moral  putrescence,  and  by  the  fire  of  divine  wrath, 
they  shall  be  ignominiously  and  utterly  destroyed.  For  God 
“is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body,  in  Gehenna.”  Men 
may  not  believe  this,  but  it  is  the  word  of  Him  who  is  “  The 
Truth.” 

But,  the  verse  in  Mark  9  :  49,  must  not  be  passed  by 
unnoticed ;  because,  that,  on  it  some  ecclesiastical  teachers 
have  fastened  a  most  evil  and  flagrant  conceit.  They  have 
represented  that,  “  the  verse  teaches,  that  God  will  so  consti¬ 
tute  the  fire  of  hell,  that  it  shall  not  begin  to  decompose  the 
bodies  of  the  damned.  However  it  may  torture,  it  shall  not 
be  a  consuming  fire :  but  it  shall  be  conservative,  in  its 
quality  and  effects;  even  as  “salt”  is  conservative,  when 
applied  to  the  flesh  of  animals  recently  slain.  And  God  will 
thus  constitute  the  fire  of  hell,  to  preserve  the  bodies  of  the 
damned  ;  for  the  express  purpose  of  insuring  the  extreme  of 
unceasing  and  endless  tortures,  in  the  experience  of  the 
damned,  as  the  objects  of  his  unappeasable  wrath.” 

The  whole  verse,  as  found  in  the  English  Version,  reads 
thus  :  “  For  every  one  shall  be  salted  with  fire,  and  every 
sacrifice  shall  be  salted  with  salt.”  But  the  word  pas,  in 
the  Greek,  may  mean,  either  every  one  person,  or  every  one 
thing:  and  the  word  for  “fire,”  is  in  the  dative,  puri ;  and 
the  real  force  of  the  passage  is  this  : — “  For  every  one  shall 
be  salted  to  or  for  the  fire  (that  is  of  the  altar)  even  every 
sacrifice  shall  be  salted  with  salt.”  The  Greek  conjunction, 
gar,  “  For,”  relates  to  the  words  of  divine  morality,  whereby 
the  Lord  had,  just  at  that  moment,  enjoined  the  observance 
of  moral  purity  and  incorrnptness,  on  those  who  bear  his 
name — purity  and  incorruptness  at  the  cost  of  the  “  hand ,” 
and  the  “ foot,11  and  the  “  eye.”  And  “salt  ”  was  the  type  of 
purity  and  incorruptness,  as  instituted  of  God.  And  to  the 


94 


WIIAT  IS  MAX  ? 


significancy  of  this  type,  the  Lord  refers  ;  and  enjoins  a  life 
of  sacrificial  purity  and  devotedness,  worthy  of  the  altar  of 
God.  And  the  same  devotedness  is  enjoined  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  in  Paul ;  even  that  Christians  should  present  their 
bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy  and  acceptable  to  God — their 
reasonable  service.  (Rom.  12:1,  2.)  And  respecting  every 
typical  sacrifice  offered  upon  the  altar  of  God,  it  had  been 
said  of  old,  “  And  every  oblation  of  thy  meat  offering,  slialt 
thou  season  with  salt ;  neither  shalt  thou  snuffer  the  salt  of  the 
covenant  of  thy  God  to  be  lacking  from  thy  meat  offering: 
with  all  thine  offerings,  thou  shalt  offer  salt.”  (Levit.  2  :  13.) 
The  min-cha,  called  here  the  “  meat-offering,”  was  the  blood¬ 
less  offering,  and  signified,  living  devotedness  to  God  ;  and 
commonly  included  the  idea  of  gratitude  to  Him;  when  it  was 
the  type  of  the  spiritual  devotedness  of  his  saints ;  even  that 
which  is  enjoined  by  the  Lord  in  the  verse  now  in  view ;  and 
in  which  the  holy  fire  of  God’s  altar,  which  caused  the  pure 
offering  to  ascend  to  Him,  is  contrasted  with  the  fire  of  his 
wrath,  that  consumed  the  “  sin-offering,”  out  side  the  camp. 
And  in  this  way,  the  acceptance  of  the  personal  devotedness 
of  the  saints,  by  the  approving  holiness  of  God  ;  is  contrasted 
with  the  consumption  and  utter  destruction,  of  the  persons 
of  hypocrites  and  apostates,  by  the  unquenchable  fire  of  Ge¬ 
henna,  which  had  been  named  the  instant  before.  And  so, 
when  the  Lord  had  said  “  For  every  one  shall  be  salted  for 
the  fire,  even  every  sacrifice  shall  be  salted  with  salt,”  he 
added  these  words  :  “  Salt  is  good  ;  but  if  the  salt  have  lost 
his  saltness,  wherewith  will  you  season  it  ?  Have  salt  in 
yourselves,  and  have  peace  one  with  another.”  But  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  ecclesiastical  teaching,  now  exposed,  we  are 
required  to  understand  the  Lord  as  saying,  that  the  fire  ofi 
hell  “is  good  ;”  and  as  commanding  his  disciples  to  have  the 
fire  of  hell  in  themselves ;  and  so,  to  have  peace,  one  with 
another.  This  is  but  one  of  the  many  said  corruptions  of 
Holy  Scripture,  invoiced  in  the  doctrine  under  review ;  and 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


95 


in  its  advocacy,  on  the  part  of  even  learned  men ;  who,  in 
other  respects,  are  wise  and  prudent  men  ;  and  many  of  them 
worthy  of  high  esteem  and  Christian  love. 

2.  Isaiah  33:  14,  is  adduced.  It  reads  thus:  “  The 
sinners  in  Zion  are  afraid ;  fearfulness  hath  surprised  the 
hypocrites ;  Who  among  us,  (they  exclaim,)  shall  dwell  with 
the  devouring  fire  ?  Who  among  us  shall  dwell  with  ever¬ 
lasting  burnings  ?”  This  text  is  quoted  to  prove  that  all 
men  who  die  in  their  sins  shall  certainly  dwell  with  the 
tm-devouring  fire  of  hell ;  and  shall  live  for  ever ,  with 
everlasting  burnings.  But,  the  text  is  an  exclamation  of 
terror,  on  the  part  of  religious  sinners  and  hypocrites — an 
exclamation  which  evidently  implies  the  impossibility  of 
dwelling  with  the  devouring  fire ;  and  which  expresses  the 
amazement  and  horror  of  those  self-convicted  hypocrites,  at 
the  prospect  of  being  utterly  consumed. 

3.  Matthew  3  :  12,  is  quoted  : — “  Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand, 
and  he  will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor,  and  gather  his  wheat 
into  the  garner ;  but  he  will  burn  up  the  chaff  with  unquench¬ 
able  fire.”  This  is  a  part  of  the  testimony  of  John  the 
Baptist,  concerning  the  Messiah,  and  the  results  of  his  coming 
and  his  kingdom.  It  was  addressed  to  religious  hypocrites, 
to  those  sinners  in  Zion,  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  The 
former  trusted  in  themselves  that  they  were  righteous  and 
despised  others  ;  and  the  latter  despised  the  hope  of  the  truly 
righteous,  and  lived  wholly  to  themselves.  To  such,  the 
words  of  John  were  addressed;  and  his  words  contain  an 
allusion  to  oriental  husbandry,  when,  at  the  time  of  harvest, 
the  husbandmen,  having  threshed  the  grain,  gathered  the 
wheat  into  the  garner,  and  burnt  up  the  chaff  with  unquench¬ 
able  fire  ;  or,  a  fire  which  the  chaff  could  not  for  a  moment 
resist.  So,  John  calls  the  saints  of  the  Lord,  “his  wheat,” 
and  the  sinners  in  Zion  he  compares  to  dry,  dead,  chaff ;  fit 
only  to  be  consumed.  But  because  the  quality  of  the  fire  of 
divine  wrath  is  said  to  be  asbestos,  i.  e.  unquenchable,  or 


96 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


irresistible — that  which  cannot  be  subdued  and  extinguished 
by  those  upon  whom  it  will  act — some  learned  teachers  of  tire 
church  have  concluded  that  therefore  the  quality  of  those 
who  are  compared  to  chaff  is,  that  they  are  unconsumable 
and  immortal.  The  logic  of  their  exegesis  is  a  humbling 
indication  of  incompetency  for  “rightly  dividing  the  word  of 
truth.”  “  He  will  burn  up  the  chaff.” 

4.  Matthew  5  :  25,  26,  is  relied  upon  for  proving  that 
sinners  when  once  cast  into  hell  shall  live  there  in  excruci¬ 
ating  torture  for  evermore.  The  passage  reads  thus:  “Agree 
with  thine  adversary  quickly,  whilst  thou  art  in  the  way  with 
him,  lest  at  any  time  tfie  adversary  deliver  thee  to  the  judge, 
and  the  judge  deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and  thou  be  cast  into 
prison.  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  thou  shalt  by  no  means  come 
out  thence,  till  thou  hast  paid  the  uttermost  farthing.” 

Now,  if  this  passage  refers  to  hell  at  all,  it  implies  the 
possibility  of  coming  out  thence;  though  a  heavy  penalty 
may  first  have  to  be  paid :  and  so  it  would  favor  the 
purgatorian  theory  of  one  class  of  “  Universalists ;”  whom  we 
once  heard  a  Bishop  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  refer  to,  and  call 
them,  “our  non-conforming  brethren.”  But,  in  what  way  is 
it  attempted  to  show  that  the  passage  refers  to  hell  ?  In  this 
way  : — it  is  said,  that,  “  the  adversary  ”  is  the  devil :  and  “  the 
judge,”  is  God  ;  and  “  the  officer  ”  is  death  ;  and  “  tiie 
prison  ”  is  hell.  And  in  this  way,  the  learned  teachers  have 
loosed  the  devil  out  of  his  prison,  in  which  they  had  before 
shut  him  up  ;  and  they  give  us  to  understand  that,  he  walks 
in  the  way  with  men  upon  the  earth;  but  that  he  is  dangerous 
company ;  and  that  God,  the  judge,  sits  ready  upon  the 
judgment  seat,  to  hear  the  “cause”  of  the  devil;  and  is 
very  likely  to  decide  in  his  favor,  against  the  men  whom  he 
vindictively  delivers  into  “court;”  and  to  consign  to  hell 
those  whom  the  devil  wishes  to  have  cast  in  there  ;  because 
that  they  liaee  not  made  an  agreement  with  him .  But  this 
is  not  all : — The  Lord  Jesus  was  instructing,  and  legislating 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


97 


for,  his  professed  disciples,  when  he  uttered  the  words  of  the 
above  text.  And,  so,  instructors  of  the  church  visible,  would 
have  us  to  understand  that  He,  there  and  then,  gave  a 
commandment  to  His  disciples,  to  be,  characteristically, 
agreeing  with  the  devil  (the  word  in  the  Greek  text  is 
eunoon  the  present  participle  from  eunoeo,  to  be  well  minded , 
or  favorably  disposed  towards  another ,)  and  to  have  a 
favorable  disposition  towards  him  ;  lest  at  any  time  he  should 
deliver  them  up  to  God.  But,  it  is  very  humiliating  to  find 
that  such  evil  thoughts  should  ever  be  involved  in  ecclesias¬ 
tical  discourse.  In  the  passage  that  is  so  perverted,  the 
‘Lord  is  instructing  his  disciples  to  avoid  litigation  ;  and  is 
showing  them  that  “  His  commandments  are  not  grievous ;” 
for  that  He  is  consulting  their  own  interests  and  welfare, 
while  enjoining  obedience  to  His  yrill.  (See  also  Luke  12  : 
50,  59.)  Truly,  His  service  is  perfect  freedom — -His  yoke  is 
easy,  and  His  burden  is  light. 

5.  Matthew  25.:  46,  is  said  to  be  sufficient  of  itself  to 
establish  the  doctrine  of  the  immortality  of  man,  and  of  the 
eternity  of  torturing  woe.  It  reads  thus  : — “  And  these  shall 
go  away  into  everlasting  punishment,  but  the  righte'ous  into 
eternal  life.” 

The  entire  passage  to  which  this  verse  pertains  should  be 
pondered,  that  the  truth  might  be  perceived — the  whole  scene 
should  be  surveyed.  The> period  is  that  when  “the  King” 
shall  come  again — when  the  enthronement  of  the  Messiah 
shall  take  place.  In  Matthew’s  testimony,  Jesus  is  presented, 
throughout,  in  the  official  relation  of  “  The  Kingj^ — “  the 
Heir”  of  Abraham’s  land  and  of  David’s  throne ;  and  the 
Head  of  the  Economy  on  earth,  which  is  called  “the  King¬ 
dom  of  Heaven,”  or  the  dominion  of  the  heavens ;  as  pro¬ 
visionally  set  up  ;  and  which  is  to  be  established  in  power — 
“  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,”  in  which  up  to  the  time  of  the 
Lord’s  return,  are  “  the  children  of  the  wicked  one,”  brought 
in  by  the  devil,  among  “the  children  of  the  Kingdom”  intro- 

9 


93 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


duced  by  the  Son  of  man — “the  wicked”  among  “the  just.” 
(Mattli.  13  :  31-43,  49,  50.)  This  provisional  Kingdom  of 
heaven  is  called,  among  men,  “  the  visible  church”  and 
“Christendom  ;”  and  within  the  pale  of  the  visible  church  are 
“  the  children  of  the  wicked  one” — “  the  wicked,”  intermingled 
with  “the  children  of  the  kingdom” — “the  just:”  and  in  the 
scene  now  in  view,  the  opposite  classes  are  compared  to 
“  sheep,”  which  the  Sheperd  will  own  as  His  ;  and  to  “  goats” 
which  have  been  brought  into  the  fold  by  another ;  and  which 
the  Shepherd,  when  he  shall  have  come,  will  disown  and 
reject. 

Both  parties  in  the  scene  are  professed  Christians — the 
true,  and  the  false — the  genuine,  and  the  hypocrites.  They 
are,  together,  called,  “all  the  nations.”  These  words  are  not 
intended  to  mean,  all  mankind ;  but  are  designed  to  be  com¬ 
mensurate  with  the  words  in  the  apostolic  commission,  in 
Matth.  28  :  18,  20,  as  it  is  said  therein  “  Go  ye  therefore  and 
disciple  all  the  nations,”  &c.  ;  and,  as  it  is  said  in  the  Lord’s 
own  explanation  of  the  parable  of  the  wheat  and  the  tares  : 
“  The  field  is  the  world  :”  nevertheless,  it  is  “  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,”  that  is  then  his  instructive  theme. 

In  the  scene  within  view,  all  are  professed  Christians  who 
up  to  that  time  have  been  mingled  together,  like  a  company 
of  sheep,  and  of  goats,  within  one  and  the  same  fold  ;  but  are 
then  divided  and  separated  into  two  contrastive  groups,  by 
the  hand  of  Him  who  searches  the  heart,  and  by  whom 
“actions  are  weighed.”  The  principle  of  discrimination,  on 
which  the  separation  is  made,  is  that  of  true  and  practical 
love  to  Christ;  as  shown  to  him,  in  his  needy  “  brethren.” 
But  this  principle  of  administrative  decision  is  not  applicable 
to  the  case  of  the  great  mass  of  mankind.  Hundreds  of 
millions  of  the  human  race  have  never  heard  of  Christ:  and 
his  “brethren”  they  have,  therefore,  never  seen;  and  many 
nations  who  may  have  heard  of  his  name,  have  never  pro¬ 
fessed  to  love  him,  or  to  believe  in  him. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


99 


Every  true  Christian  loves  Christ,  with  a  responsive  and 
grateful  love  ;  and  is  taught  of  God  to  love  his  brethren,  and 
to  love  and  serve  Christ,  in  them.  And  every  professed — • 
but  nominal — Christian  professes  (but  hypocritically  pro¬ 
fesses)  to  love  Christ. 

Love  to  Christ  and  service  to  him,  in  his  brethren,  is  not, 
in  any  respect,  the  cause  or  reason  of  personal  salvation — is 
not  the  title  of  true  Christians,  to  “  inherit  the  kingdom  pre¬ 
pared  for  them,  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  :”  but  it  is 
the  mark  and  characteristic  of  the  heirs  of  the  kingdom ;  and 
is  shown  towards  Christ,  in  the  substantial  forms  of  practical 
beneficence  towards  his  needy  and  afflicted  brethren ;  because 
they  belong  to  him — this  is  the  motive  and  intent  of  the 
heart ;  though  they  may  not  rise  up  to  the  thought,  that  they 
are  feeding  and  clothing  Christ,  and  showing  hospitality  to 
him,  and  visiting  and  comforting  him.  And  when  the  Lord 
shall  have  come  again — when  “  the  King  shall  sit  upon  the 
throne  of  his  glory” — he  will  openly  approve  and  extol  this 
manifest  token  of  genuine  heirship  ;  and  will  as  openly  rebuke 
and  condemn  the  false-heartedness  and  hypocrisy  of  those 
who  professed  to  love  him  ;  but  never  did  love  him  at  all. 
They  may  have  been  among  the  most  prominent  in  the  visible 
church,  and  the  most  zealous  in  supporting  the  externals  of 
“  religion,”  as  such  persons  speak  ;  and  may  have  given  much, 
and  have  done  much,  that  men  call  the  fruit  of  “  zeal  for 
religion” — but ,  they  have  never  loved  Christ. 

The  false  are  mingled  with  the  true ,  till  the  decisive  hour 
indicated  in  the  passage  within  view.  The  hypocrites  are, 
ostensibly,  heirs  of  the  kingdom,  and  “  candidates  for  heaven 
and  glory,”  in  common  with  the  saints;  and,  it  may  be,  that 
they  deem  themselves,  and  are  deemed  by  others  in  a  more 
“hopeful  state,”  than  many  of  the  saints.  But  the  Lord 
searches  the  heart;  and  He  is  the  Judge.  And  the  predomi¬ 
nant  idea  and  fact  in  the  passage,  is  that  of  being  separated 
and  cut  off  from  the  flock,  and  the  Kingdom  of  the  Son  of 


100 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


man  :  and  this  eternal  rejection  and  excision  of  the  hypo¬ 
crites,  is  contrasted  with  the  eternal *  life  of  the  righteous, 
and  the  consummation  of  their  eternal  life,  in  the  Kingdom 
of  their  Father.  This  eternal  excision  is  the  “  eternal  punish¬ 
ment”  of  the  text. 

The  Greek  word,  Jcolasin ,  which  is  translated,  “  punish¬ 
ment,”  is  derived  from  kolazo;  the  ideal  meaning  of  which 
is,  to  take  from,  to  cut  off;  and  hence  to  prune,  or  to  cut  off 
unfruitful  and  worthless  branches  from  a  tree,  which  is,  itself, 
a  good  tree.  And  kolazo  is  the  Greek  equivalent  of  the 
Hebrew,  kah-rath,  which  means,  to  cut  off,  as  a  branch  is 
cut  off,  and  to  cut  off  by  death  ;  and  is  used  when  it  is  said 
“  That  soul  shall  be  cut  off” — “that  soul  shall  be  cut  off  from 


*  In  the  usage  of  Holy  Scripture,  the  words  “eternal” — “for  ever,” 
and  such  like,  derive  their  meaning  and  force  from  the  objects  or 
subjects  to  which  they  are  applied.  Thus  "goh-laiim  in  the  Hebrew 
is  used  when  Jehovah  says,  “I  lift  up  my  hand  to  heaven  and  say,  I 
live  forever;”  (Deut.  32:  40,)  and  it  is  used  when  it  is  said  of  the 
servant-man,  (Exod.  21:  6,)  who  loved  his  master,  &c. :  “He  shall 
serve  him  forever.”  And,  aionios,  in  the  Greek,  the  word  rendered 
“everlasting”  and  “eternal”  is  used,  as  a  word  of  quality,  to  denote 
the  essentially  eternal  life,  which  the  ransomed  and  regenerate  now 
have,  in  union  with  the  risen  Son  of  God;  and  the  consummation  of 
that  same  life,  when  He  shall  come  again.  When  applied  to  the  doom 
of  the  ungodly,  it  means  irr  ever  sableness — eternal  in  the  sense  of  never 
to  be  reversed ;  and  when  applied  to  the  fire  that  destroyed  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah,  and  to  the  fire  of  final  judgment,  it  signifies  the  divine  and 
destructive  energy  of  that  fire  of  God.  The  word  aion,  “for  ever,”  in 
its  singular  form,  is  very  frequently  translated,  “world  ;”  as  it  is  said, 
“this  world;”  and  the  plural  and  duplicated  forms  of  that  word  are 
governed  as  to  their  meaning  and  intent,  by  the  laws  of  usage  which 
are  indicated  above.  Theological  disputants  have  quoted  Aristotle,  to 
show  that  the  word  aion  means  “always  existing;”  which,  of  course,  is 
the  ideal  meaning  of  the  Avord.  But  the  usage  of  Aristotle,  who,  as  a 
heathen  philosopher,  believed  in  the  eternity  of  matter ,  and  was  an 
Atheist,  ought  not  to  be  preferred  to  the  usage  and  authority  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  as  given  and  asserted  in  the  inspired  Book. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


101 


Israel.”  Even  so,  the  false  Christians  shall  be  cut  off  from 
the  flock  of  Christ,  and  from  every  pretence  to  the  kingdom, 
of  which  they  were  ostensible  heirs,  in  common  with  the  true; 
and  their  excision  shall  not  be  temporal  ;  but  shall  be  eternal. 

The  word,  kolasin,  is  found  in  one  other  place ;  namely, 
in  Jno.  4 :  18 ;  and  is  there  represented  by  the  word 
“torment;”  but  this  is  not  justifiable;  for  the  word  relates 
to  the  children  of' God,  who  are  not  yet  “made  perfect”  in  an 
experimental  knowledge  of  the  love  of  God.  They  are  not 
tormented ;  but  they  are  cut  off  from  much  experimental 
blessedness,  which  properly  pertains  to  them  ;  and  which 
they  would  possess  if  they  were  made  perfect  in  love.  They 
are  cut  off  from  conscious  communion  with  God,  in  the  fullness 
and  unchangeableuess  of  his  perfect  love  in  Christ,  his  Son. 

Even  the  common  usage  of  the  English  word  “  punishment” 
does  not,  of  necessity,  include  theddea  of  pain  and  anguish  ; 
and  in  the  judicial  usage  of  that  word,  the  idea  of  torture  is 
not  found.  The  fact,  the  'principle ,  the  idea,  of  torture,  is 
utterly  excluded  from  the  jurisprudence  and  forensic  proceed¬ 
ings  of  every  humane  and  just  government  upon  earth.  But 
the  retributive  principle  of  excision  is  adopted  and  set  forth, 
as  being  just  and  right.  Thus  a  criminal  is  cut  off  from,  or 
loses,  his  property  by  being  fined ;  or  loses  his  liberty,  and  is 
cut  off  from  civil  society  by  imprisonment;  or  loses  life; 
being  cut  off  by  death,  in  the  way  of  “  capital  punishment ” — 
which  is  death.  And  “  shall  mortal  man  be  more  just  than 
God  ?”  Yet,  there  are  men,  who  would  vehemently  express 
their  detestation  of  torture  and  of  the  torturer ,  too,  at  an 
“  indignation  meeting”  occasioned  by  any  known  departure 
from  the  principles  of  loss^  and  excision  only;  but  who  do 
not  hesitate — yea,  rather,  are  zealous — to  describe  “  tiie 
eternal  God,”  as  an  eternal  torturer  ;  who,  by  enduing 
the  human  objects  of  his  fury  with  superhuman  vigor,  will 
keep  them  alive  forever,  and  torture  them  without  ceasing 


9* 


102 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


and  without  end.  This  is  one  of  the  evil  fruits  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  inherent  immortality  of  man. 

Further :  It  should  be  noticed  that  the  “  eternal  punish¬ 
ment”  mentioned  in  Matth.  25  :  46,  is  not  the  whole  doom  of 
the  religious  hypocrites  to  whom  those  words  relate ;  but  is 
their  eternal  excision  from  the  flock  of  Christ,  in  order  to 
their  being  cast  into  the  fire  of  Gehenna — “the  eternal  fire, 
prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels;”  the  “furnace  of  fire” 
into  which  all  ensnaring,  and  lawless  professors  shall  be  cast ; 
into  which  the  wicked  hypocrites  shall  be  cast ;  and  where 
there  shall  be  “  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth  ;”  (Matth.  13  : 
42,  50,)  the  manifested  remorse  and  agony  of  the  disappointed 
and  terror-stricken,  false-hearted  professors  of  Christianity  ; 
who  like  the  sinners  and  hypocrites  of  Zion  (Isa.  33  :  14)  will 
be  filled  with  unutterable  anguish  in  the  immediate  prospect, 
and  the  process ,  of  being  consumed,  by  the  devouring  fire ; 
of  being  destroyed  forever — consumed  like  chaff. 

6.  Revelation  14:  11,  is  triumphantly  adduced;  particu¬ 
larly  the  first  clause: — “And  the  smoke  of  their  torment 
ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever.”  But,  the  entire  paragraph 
must  be  considered  if  there  be  any  desire  to  learn  and  know 
the  truth.  The  passage  reads  thus:  “And  the  third  angel 
followed  them  (those  angels  whom  John  had  seen  and  heard 
in  vision  immediately  before)  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  “  If 
any  man  worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  receive  his 
mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in  his  hand :  the  same  shall  drink 
of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without 
mixture  into  the  cup  of  his  indignation,  and  he  shall  be 
tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  presence  of  the  holy 
angels  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb  :  And  the  smoke  of 
their  torment  ascendeth  up  forever  and  ever ;  and  they  have 
no  rest  day  nor  night,  who  worship  the  beast  and  his 

IMAGE,  AND  WHOSOEVER  RECEIVETH  THE  MARK  OF  HIS  NAME.” 

It  is  worthy  of  a  passing  remark  ;  that  in  ecclesiastical 
teaching,  it  is  usual  to  say  that,  “the  Book  of  the  Apocalypse 


WIIAT  IS  MAX  ? 


103 


is  a  sealed  Book.”  It  is  called,  of  God,  a  "Revelation,”  but 
it  is  usual  with  many  ecclesiastical  teachers  to  call  it,  “  a  sealed 
Book  and  it  is  therefore  the  more  remarkable,  that  they 
should  so  readily  and  confidently  appeal  to  its  contents  ;  which, 
they  tell  us,  they  cannot  read,  because  that  it  is  sealed  up. 

The  Book  is  not  sealed ,  but  is  a  Revelation — a  divine 
drama,  indeed,  but  a  Revelation — a  divine  drama,,  composed 
very  much  on  the  principle  of  the  ancient  Grecian  drama ;  to 
answer  a  prophetic  and  specific  end.  The  passage  under 
examination  is  a  premonition,  that  “if  any  man  ”  commit  a 
certain  enormous  crime,  which  is  distinctly  specified ;  then 
and  in  that  case ,  a  certain  penal  result  shall  certainly  ensue. 
This  premonition  is  specific,  and  does  not  relate  to  the  com¬ 
mon  ungodliness  of  men  ;  and,  so  the  penalty  of  which  men 
are  forewarned  is  not  at  all  the  common  doom  of  ungodly 
men,  as  such.  The  penalty  specified,  is  to  consist  in  certain 
plagues,  which  are  dramatically  announced,  as  a  forewarning, 
and  also  a  prediction  of  approaching  facts.  “  If  any  man 
worship  the  beast  — this  is  made  the  condition  on  the 
presence  of  which  the  predicted  penalty  shall  ensue  ;  and 
moreover,  the  specified  and  enormous  iniquity  had  not  been 
committed  by  any  man,  at  the  time  of  the  vision  which  John 
saw  and  heard  :  and  therefore,  the  specified  penalty  is  not  the 
doom  of  the  damned  in  hell,  either  before,  or  after,  the  judg¬ 
ment  of  the  great  day. 

The  words  so  commonly  quoted  : — “  And  the  smoke  of 
their  torment*  ascendetli  up  for  ever  and  ever ;” — are  used 
also  in  relation  to  that  dramatic  personage  described  as  a 
woman,  and  called,  "Babylon  the  Great ;”  of  whom  it  is  said, 


*  The  word  represented  by  the  English  word  “  torment  ”  is  basanismos , 
am^the  verb  translated,  “tormented”  is  basanizo.  The  radical  word  is 
basanos  ;  which  means,  literally,  a  stone  found  in  Lydia,  in  Asia  Minor, 
by  which  gold  was  tried — a  touch  stone.  The  radical  and  true  idea 
represented  by  the  above  words  is,  that  of  putting  to  the  test  or  proof; 
and  of  being  put  to  the  test  or  proof. 


104 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


“And  her  smoke  rose  up  for  ever  and  ever:”  (Rev.  19:  3,) 
and,  concerning  her,  it  is  previously  said  “And  she  shall  be 
utterly  burned  with  lire  ;  for  strong  is  the  Lord  God,  who 
judgeth  her.”  (Rev.  18:8.)  A  similar  mention  is  made,  or 
a  similar  dramatic  representation  is  found  in  Isa.  34:  9,  10, 
in  which  the  doom  of  the  city  of  Botzra,  in  Idumea,  is  pro¬ 
phetically  described.  The  dramatic  meaning  of  the  ascending 
“  smoke,”*  is  that  of  the  evidence  of  a  consuming  process, 
and  a  destructive  result.  The  word  “  smoke,”  and  its  dra¬ 
matic  usage,  in  inspired  prophecy,  have  been  adopted  from 
the  history  of  the  destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 
(Gen.  19:  21,  28.) 

Whatever  may  be  the  dramatic  force  of  that  which  is  said 
concerning  the  “woman”  called  “Babylon  the  Great,”  and  of 
that  which  is  said  concerning  the  worshipers  of  the  beast,  it 
is  evident  that  it  transpires  on  the  earth,  and  before  the 
coming  of  the  Lord  to  reign  over  the  earth.  The  most 
probable  evolution  and  fulfillment  of  Rev.  14  :  9-11,  will  be 
found  in  the  plagues  that  shall  come  upon  the  devotees  or 
worshipers  of  “the  beast,”  as  described  in  Rev.  16th.  But 
even  if  the  passage  we  have  now  examined,  did  teach  the 
conscious  existence  and  endless  misery  of  “ any  man ” — which 
it  does  not — still,  the  “torment”  so  dramatically  described, 
would  be  the  portion,  only,  of  the  worshipers  of  “  the  beast;” 
and  from  it,  every  human  being  would  be  exempt  and  secure, 
who  had  not  committed  that  specified  and  enormous  crime. 
And,  therefore,  the  passage  so  triumphantly  adduced,  instead 
of  proving,  could  only  disprove,  the  ecclesiastical  doctrine,  . 
of  the  common  penalty  due  to  sinners,  on  account  of  their 
common  sins.  It  would  indeed  seem  that,  relatively, — or  in 
relation  to  an  actual  state  of  mind,  the  “  Revelation  ”  is,  to 
some  persons,  “a  sealed  Book;”  but,  they  who  teach,  ought 

*  The  smoke  ascending  “for  ever,”  or  “for  ever  and  ever”  signifies 
that  the  evidence  of  irrcverscible  judgment  shall  be  made  manifest;  and 
shall  be  publicly  and  fully  known. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


105 


to  be  able  to  understand  and  teach  what  God  lias  revealed, 
and  has  “sent,  and  signified,  to  the  churches;”  seeing  that 
they  claim  to  be  “  ambassadors  for  Christ,”  and  to  be  acknowl¬ 
edged  as  such,  of  all  men. 

7.  The  parable  of  Lazarus  and  the  rich  man,  as  recorded 
in- Luke  16  :  19-31,  is  regarded  as  a  strong  tower  ;  whereunto 
those  who  teach  the  doctrines  of  man’s  inherent  immortality, 
and  of  present,  and  endless  torture  may  continually  resort, 
and  be  safe  in  the  possession  of  that  which  they  hold.  Even 
if  it  could  be  made  to  appear  that,  this  parable  unveils  the 
unseen  world,  it  could  not  be  properly  adduced,  as  an  evidence 
of  the  immortality  of  man ;  and  of  endless  misery  to  be 
inflicted  after  the  judgment  of  the  last  day.  It  would  rather 
seem  to  favor  the  ecclesiastical  doctrine  of  torture  first,  and 
trial  afterwards  ;  for  the  scene  described  is,  parabolically, 
laid  down  in  days  that  have  passed  away  thousands  of  years 
ago.  But  the  parable  cannot  have  been  intended  of  the  Lord 
to  favor  that  doctrine ;  because  that  doctrine  is  manifestly 
untrue.  The  Holy  Spirit,  in  Peter,  teaches,  that  the  Lord 
knows  how  “  to  reserve  the  unjust  unto  the  day  of  Judgment, 
to  be  punished.  (2  Pet.  2  :  9.)  The  Lord  Jesus,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  could  not  teach  diverse  and  conflicting  doctrines ; 
and  so  contradict,  each  other.  Moreover ;  Abraham,  and 
Lazarus,  and  the  rich  man,  are  represented  as  being  embodied  : 
but  it  could  not  have  been  the  intention  of  the  Lord  to  teach 
this  as  a  fact ;  for  he  could  not  countenance  the  pernicious 
doctrine,  that,  “the  resurrection  is  already  past.”  (See  2 
*  Tim.  2  :  18.) 

The  entire  scene  is  laid, — not  in  Gehenna,  but — in  SJdol, 
hades,  or  “hell.”  It  is  described  as  lying  in  the  “under 
world,”  the  place  of  departed  souls.  Abraham  and  Lazarus' 
are  described  as  being  in  the  same  territory,  or  place,  as  the 
rich  man — Abraham  and  Lazarus  on  one  side  of  a  great  chasm 
or  gulph,  and  the  rich  man  on  the  other.  But,  in  ecclesiasti¬ 
cal  teaching,  it  is  stated  that  Abraham  and  Lazarus  were  in 


100 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


heaven,  because  that  it  is  said  of  the  rich  man  that  he  “lifted 
up  his  eyes  ”  and,  in  so  doing,  saw  Abraham  afar  off.  But, 
even  the  words  of  the  Lord,  to  his  disciples,  when  near 
Sychar  may  well  suffice  to  correct  this  mistake  ;  “  Lift  up  your 
eyes  and  look  on  the  fields. ”  When  occidentals  would  say 
“  Open  your  eyes;”  orientals  would  say  “  Lift  up  your  eyes.” 

The  entire  scene  of  the  parable  is  laid  in  Hades  and  in  the 
original,  the  definite  article  is  used  ;  and  so  it  is  said  of  the 
rich  man  :  “  And  in  the  hades  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  ”  and  this 
is  intended  to  imply  that  Abraham,  with  Lazarus  in  his 
bosom,  was  there  before  the  rich  man  had  arrived  ;  and  when 
the  rich  man  first  saw  Abraham,  he  (the  rich  man)  was  not 
aware  that  there  was  a  great  gulph  between  them ;  for 
Abraham  informed  him,  particularly,  of  this.  And,  if  any 
object  to  the  idea  of  the  entire  scene  being  laid  in  Hades,  it 
must  be  because  they  have  not  read,  with  attention,  the 
inspired  Book,  concerning  the  ancient  saints,  before  the 
Messiah  had  appeared.  Down  to  that  “  under  world  ”  the 
place  of  the  detention  of  defunct  souls — or,  as  one  has 
expressed  it,  “  of  unclad  ghosts,”  the  ancient  saints  expected 
to  go  at  death  ;  and  by  reason  of  this,  they  were,  generally 
speaking,  in  bondage  all  their  life  time,  through  fear  of  death  : 
and  down  into  sh’ol  or  hades  they  went  when  they  died. 
Witness,  Jacob*  (Gen.  37  :  33-35,)  and  Job,  (Ch.  10:  21,  22,) 


*  The  word,  sh’ol  occurs,  in  tlie  Hebrew  text  64  times.  It  is 
translated  “grave,”  30  times — “bell,”  31  time;  and  3  times,  “  pit.”  # 
It  is  first  used  by  Jacob,  in  Gen.  37  :  35.  The  noun  is  derived  from  the 
verb,  siiah-al,  to  ask,  and  also,  to  require,  to  crave.  The  Hebrews 
thought  and  spoke  of  sh’ol,  as  ever  craving  for  prey,  and  never  saying, 
“It  is  enough.”  Hence  they  personified  death,  and  sh’ol,  and  repre¬ 
sented  them  as  two  hunters,  laying  snares,  or  arranging  their  cords  to 
catch  their  prey.  This  personification  is  very  general,  and  is  promi¬ 
nently  seen,  in  the  psalms  of  David,  in  the  writings  of  Paul,  and  in  the 
apocalypse.  The  word  has,  uniformly,  one  signification,  in  the  Hebrew 
Scriptures;  and,  hades  is  its  equivalent  in  the  Greek. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


107 


and  Samuel,  (1  Sam.  28:  15,  19,)  and  David,  (Ps.  6  :  5,  and  88  : 
10-12,)  and  Hezekiah,  (Isa.  38  :  18,)  and  others  also.  Down 
into  this  “  under  world,”  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  went,  when 
he  died  upon  the  cross.  (Ps.  16  :  10  ;  Acts  2  :  31.)  When 
there,  he  was  in  active  power  ;  for  he  is  both  God  and  man  ; 
and  though  he  was  put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  he  was  consti¬ 
tuted  living,  in  the  Spirit ;  and,  he  had  “  put  away  sin  by 
the  sacrifice  of  himself.”  He,  there  and  then,  quickened  and 
delivered  the  souls  of  his  ancient  saints,  who  had  remained 
there,  held  by  the  cords  of  death,  insensible  and  inert ;  and 
he  “led  captivity  captive.”  (Heb.  2:  14,  15;  Ps.  68:  18; 
Eph.  4,  8-10.)  And  into  that  prison  house,  no  departed 
saint  has  gone,  since  Jesus  died  and  rose  again.  Since  then, 
the  saints  do  not  in  reality  die  :  but  before  that,  the  saints 
died,  and  were  held  captive  by  death. 

Now,  to  return  to  the  parable  : — -All  the  parties  in  hades 
are  represented,  as  being  embodied  and  alive  ;  and  not  only 
so,  but  also,  as  knowing,  and  remembering,  and  talking,  and 
reasoning,  and  as  being  cognizant  of  things  on  the  earth. 
But  the  Lord  Jesus  could  not  teach  this  as  a  matter  of  fact ; 
nor  any  part  of  it ;  for,  he  could  not  contradict  the  testimony 
of  all  Hebrew  Scripture  ;  which  is  quite  to  the  contrary  of  all 
this.  He  came  not  “  to  destroy  the  law  and  the  prophets, 
but  to  fulfill.”  And  Job  refers  to  Sh’ol  or  hades  as  “the 
land  of  darkness ;”  (Ch.  10:  21,  22;)  and  Samuel,  and 
David  refer  to  it,  as  the  place  and  state  of  silence  ;  (1  Sam. 
2:9;  Ps.  31  :  11.)  And  again,  David  speaks  of  sldol,  as 
the  place  and  state  in  which  there  is  no  remembrance — not 
even  of  God.  (Ps.  6  :  5.)  And  Solomon  says,  that,  “  there 
is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom  in  sh’ol.” 
But  wisdom  and  knowledge  and  device  and  reasoning  and 
speech,  are,  in  the  parable,  ascribed  not  only  to  Abraham, 
but  also  to  the  rich  man.  But  whence  and  how  has  it  come 
to  pass,  that  there  are  these  irreconcilable  differences  and 
diversities,  between  the  teachings  of  all  Hebrew  Scripture, 


103 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


and  wliat  the  parable  is  by  so  many  supposed  to  teach  ;  and, 
which,  if  construed  in  a  certain  way,  the  parable  does  seem 
to  teach ;  but  which,  as  we  have  shown,  it  does  not  and 
cannot  teach, — how  has  this  come  to  pass  ? 

All  this  misapprehension  has  arisen  from  two  distinct 
causes,  viz.  :  First,  from  a  previous  and  unjustifiable  assump¬ 
tion  that  the  doctrine  of  man’s  inherent  immortality,  and  of 
present  and  continuous  and  endless  torture  in  hell,  are 
truths  taught  in  the  word  of  God  ;  and  secondly,  from  a  non¬ 
acquaintance  with  the  nature  and  design  of  oriental  parables, 
in  general ;  the  genius  of  parable,  in  itself  considered,  and  the 
bases  and  design  of  the  parables  of  the  Lord  in  particular. 
For  instance  : — It  is  commonly  assumed,  that  the  parables  of 
the  Lord  were  intended  to  illustrate  his  teaching,  and  bring 
it  down  to  the  level  of  the  commonest  and  most  limited 
understanding ;  whereas,  they  were  really  intended  for  a 
purpose  the  very  reverse ;  that  is,  they  were  intended  to  veil, 
with  the  drapery  of  enigma  and  fiction,  testimony  and  teach¬ 
ing,  which  in  their  plain  and  literal  forms,  had  been  and  still 
were  rejected  and  despised  ;  and  they  were  intended  to  put  to 
the  test,  the  wisdom  of  those  who  were  wise  in  their  own 
conceits  ;  and  to  inflict  judicial  blindness  on  those  who  had 
closed  their  eyes  against  the  evidences  of  truth  and  of  fact. 
(Isa.  6:  9;  Matth.  13:  10-15.)  The  same  course  had  been 
pursued  of  old  in  the  midst  of  Israel,  and  the  same  reason  was 
then  assigned.  (See  Ezek.  12  :  2  ;  20  :  49.)  The  disciples 
of  the  Lord  did  not  understand  his  parables,  for  they  were 
illiterate  men,  and  their  understanding  had  not  then  been 
opened,  as  it  afterwards  was.  (Luke  24 :  45.)  But  the 
Lord  explained  to  them  many  of  his  parables,  in  private. 
The  chief  priests  and  scribes  being  learned  aud  wise  men, 
(according  to  the  flesh)  sometimes  understood  the  parables  of 
the  Lord.  They  could  look  through  the  veil ;  and  what  they 
perceived  beneath  it  excited  their  anger  and  derisive  scorn. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


109 


(Luke  20:  9-20;  16:  14.)  And  the  teachers  of  the  church 
ought  to  understand  the  parables  of  Holy  Scripture,  if  so  be, 
that  they  are  in  reality  the  “  ambassadors  of  Christ,”  for  He 
said  to  his  own  called  and  ordained  ambassadors,  “  It  is  given 
unto  you  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
but  to  them  it  is  not  given.”  And  this  he  said,  when  they 
asked  him,  why  he  spoke  to  the  people  in  parables.  The 
Lord  explained  many  of  his  parables  to  his  own  disciples; 
and  so,  has  furnished  us  with  a  clue  to  the  understanding  of 
others ;  if  indeed,  it  be  given  us  to  understand ;  and  we  be 
not  blinded  by  being  wise  in  our  own  conceits,  and  for  reject¬ 
ing  the  plain  teaching  of  the  Lord. 

In  pursuing  his  judicious  and  judicial  course  towards  the 
scribes  and  pharisees  and  chief  priests,  the  Lord  Jesus  took 
up  some  of  their  own  false  conceits — fictions  ofi  the  grossest 
kind — and  wrought  them  into  his  parables,  for  the  purpose 
of  testing  them,  and  convicting  them  of  evil ;  and  he  thus  met 
them,  on  their  own  ground. 

It  was  a  gross  fiction  and  pernicious  falsehood  in  them  to 
say  that  they  were  “righteous,”  (Luke  18  :  9,)  so  righteous 
that  they  needed  no  repentance  ;  and  that  they  were  Jehovah’s 
first-born,  ever  standing  in  moral  nearness  to  him — the  law¬ 
ful  heirs  of  his  house,  and  of  his  kingdom  ;  and  yet  the  Lord 
took  up  all  this  gross  and  evil  fiction  and  wrought  it  into  his 
parables,  on  the  very  same  occasion  on  which  he  uttered  the 
parable  of  Lazarus  and  the  rich  man.  (Luke  15  ch.)  And 
it  was  and  is  a  gross  fiction  that  money  obtained  by  f  raud , 
and  especially  by  pious  and  priestly  fraud,  can  procure  a 
welcome  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  “  into  everlasting 
habitations”  therein  ;  and  yet  the  Lord  in  his  parables,  on  the 
same  occasion  (Luke  16  :  1-13)  took  up  even  this  most  evil 
conceit,  and  parabolically — but  in  truth,  most  ironically — 
said,  “And  I  say  to  you,  Make  to  yourselves  friends  of  the 
mammon  of  unrighteousness ;  (“  the  unrighteous  mammon”) 


10 


110 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


that  when  you  fail  (as  the  unjust  steward  had  failed)  they 
may  receive  you  into  everlasting  habitations.’7* 

The  scribes  and  pharisees  and  chief  priests  sat  in  Moses’ 
seat,  (Matth.  23  :  2,)  and  were  ostensibly  and  professedly  the 
stewards  of  God — stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  his  kingdom  ; 
and  “it  is  required  of  stewards  that  a  man  be  found  faithful,” 
and  not  fraudulent,  as  touching  that  which  has  been  com¬ 
mitted  to  his  trust.  But  these  scribes  and  pharisees  and  chief 
priests  were  unfaithful,  and  were  thoroughly  practised  in  pious 
and  priestly  frauds.  They  laid  heavy  burdens  on  the  people, 
it  i3  true,  and  more  especially  on  those  who  were  not  able  to 
gratify  their  love  of  “filthy  lucre” — burdens  which  they  them¬ 
selves  would  not  move  with  one  of  their  fingers.  (Matth.  23  : 
4.)  But  they  took  away  the  key  of  knowledge  from  the 
people,  and  hindered  their  inquiries  after  the  truth.  (Luke 
11  :  52.)  They  made  “  long  prayers  but  this  was  “  a  pre¬ 
tence” — a  pious  fraud  to  cloak  their  covetousness — their  “love 
of  money  in  the  eagerness  of  which  they  devoured  even 
“widows’  houses.”  But,  those  of  their  own  covetous  dispo¬ 
sition,  who  were  able  and  willing  to  pay  them  well,  by 
professedly  devoting  in  part  to  “  the  cause  of  religion ,”  that 
which  they  ought  to  have  used  in  obedience  to  “  the  command¬ 
ment  of  God  and  part  of  which  they  kept  for  themselves  ; 
such  ones,  they  let  off  lightly,  and  exempted  them  from  actual 
and  social  duties,  and  authorized  their  pious  frauds.  (Matth. 
15  :  3-9.)  Men  might  be  covetous,  eager  money-lovers  and 


*  It  is  marvellous,  that  any  who  are  ecclesiastical  teachers  should  not 
perceive  that  the  Lord  is  here  speaking  of  money  gained  by  fraud, 
embezzlement  and  swindling — “  the  unrighteous  mammon.”  If  only 
this  had  been  perceived,  the  teaching  and  literature  of  the  visible 
church — as  we  charitably  believe — would  not  have  been  disfigured  as  it 
has  been,  (not  to  mention  the  dishonor  done  to  the  name  of  the 
Lord)  by  representing,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  is  teaching  Christians  to 
make  a  benevolent  and  religious  use  of  their  money,  in  order  to  procure 
/or  themselves ,  a  welcome  into  heaven. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


Ill 


* 

servants  of  mammon  ;  and  might  be  keen  and  over-reaching  in 
the  pursuit  of  gain  ;  and  might  defraud  even  their  own  needy 
parents,  so  long  as  they  “  cast  into  the  treasury,”  of  which 
these  scribes  and  pharisees  and  chief  priests  were  the 
“stewards:”  and  out  of  which  they  first  provided  for  them¬ 
selves ,  and  for  the  increase  of  their  riches,  and  for  the  mainte¬ 
nance  of  their  worldly  importance,  and  their  domination  over 
the  belief  and  conscience  of  the  multitude,  before  whom  they 
arrogantly  claimed  to  be  the  stewards,  the  true  and  faithful 
stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  God.  And  in  this  way  they 
became  rich  ;  and  in  it  all  they  most  strikingly  resembled  the 
“  unjust  steward”  of  the  parable  :  and  that  parable  they 
understood,  and  for  them  it  was  intended  by  the  Lord.  It 
was  spoken  to  the  disciples,  but  it  was  spoken  at  the  scribes 
and  pharisees  and  chief  priests.  And  so  it  is  said,  “  And  the 
pharisees  also,  who  were  covetous,-  (philarguroi,  money-lovers) 
heard  all  these  things  :  and  they  derided  him.  They  heard 
the  parables,  and  perceived  their  intent ;  and  they  scorned  the 
corrective  wisdom  and  convicting  truth,  that  lay  beneath  the 
parabolic  veil. 

These  pharisees  trusted  in  their  lineal  descent  from  Abraham, 
and  in  themselves,  that  they  were  righteous,  and  in  their 
wealth,  as  a  manifest  token  of  the  divine  approval  ;  and  they 
boasted  themselves  in  the  multitude  of  their  riches :  but  none 
of  them  could  “  redeem  his  brother,  nor  give  to  God  a  ransom 
for  him  ;  that  he  should  still  live  for  ever,  and  not  see  corrup¬ 
tion.”  (Ps.  49  :  6-9*.)  And  these  facts  the  Lord  Jesus 
intended  to  teach,  in  the  parable  of  Lazarus  and  the  rich  man  ; 
and  to  convict  the  pharisees  of  the  worthlessness  of  the  confi- 

*  The  entire  psalm  should  be  pondered  with  care.  And  it  should  be 
borne  in  mind,  that  all  the  parables  contained  in  Luke,  15  ch.  and  16 
ch.  were  uttered  on  one  and  the  same  occasion,  and  that  the  same 
parties  heard  the  words  of  the  whole ;  and  the  pharisees  understood 
what  they  heard,  particularly  the  parable  of  the  unjust  steward,  who 
had  grown  rich  by  means  of  systematic  fraud. 


112 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


* 

clence  they  rested  on  their  lineal  descent  from  Abraham,  and 
on  the  fact  of  their  being  rich  men,  in  the  nation  that  had 
been  placed  of  God  under  “the  law,”  and  to  which,  “the 
prophets”  had  been  sent. 

While  these  pharisees  regarded  a  rich  man,  in  the  nation, 
as  one  whom  God  had  accepted,  and,  whom  he  highly  approved, 
they  looked  down  upon  a  poor  man  in  the  nation — one 
who  was  destitute  and  afflicted — as  one  whom  God  had  for¬ 
saken,  and  against  whom  his  displeasure  was,  in  this  way 
shown.  One  reason  why  they  despised  and  rejected  the  Lord 
Messiah  was,  because  that  he  was  poor,  and  a  man  of  sorrows, 
whose  “visage  was  so  marred  more  than  any  man,  and  his 
form  more  than  the  sons  of  men.”  They  judged  him,  to  be 
“  stricken,  smitten  of  God  and  afflicted  :”  (Isa.  53  :  4  ;)  and 
when  their  “  hour  and  the  power  of  darkness  ”  had  arrived, 
the  animus  of  their  ways  was  according  to  these  words  :  “  God 
hath  forsaken  him,  persecute  and  take  him,  for  there  is  none 
to  deliver.” 

We  have  thus  shown  the  moral  judgments  of  the  pharisees, 
which  the  Lord  reversed  and  condemned  in  the  parable  of 
Lazarus  and  the  rich  man.  But  whence  was  the  drapery  of 
that  parable  derived  ?  Whence  were  derived  the  materials 
out  of  which  the  Lord  Jesus  wove  that  parabolic  veil  ?  They 
were  not  derived  from  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  for  they  contra¬ 
dict  the  testimony  of  Moses  and  the  prophets — as  we  have 
plainly  shown.  And  as  they  did  not  pertain  to  facts,  or  a 
revelation  of  facts,  so  neither  were  they  originated  by  the  Lord 
Jesus;  for  he  did  not  “come  to  destroy  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  but  to  fulfill ;”  and  He  is  God,  as  well  as  man — 
and  God  “  cannot  lie — cannot  deny  himself .”  But  it  is 
written,  “  He  taketh  the  wise  in  their  own  craftiness  :”  and 
again,  “  The  Lord  knoweth  the  thoughts  of  the  wise,  that  they 
are  vain,”  (Job  5:  13;  Ps.  94:  11;  1  Cor.  3:  19,  20.) 
And,  as  he  had  just  before  taken  up  the  false  conceits  and 
gross  fictions  of  the  pharisees,  touching  their  self-righteous- 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


113 


ness,  and  as  to  the  making  of  a  pious  use  of  “the  mammon  of 
unrighteousness,”  and  procuring  thereby,  a  welcome  into  the 
kingdom  of  God  ;  even  so  he  now  took  up  their  false  conceits 
and  gross  fictions,  concerning  Sh’ol,  hades  or  hell. 

The  pharisees  had  borrowed  the  conceits  and  fictions,  which 
form  the  parabolic  veil,  from  the  mythology  of  the  heathen. 
When  the  nation  of  the  Jews  had  ceased  to  be  superstitious 
idolators,  they  became  religious  philosophers ;  and  they 
learned  the  ways  of  the  heathen  and  adopted  many  of  their 
evil  conceits.  They  learned  concerning  the  Elysium  and 
Tartarus  of  the  heathen  mythology,  and  they  reasoned  them¬ 
selves  out  of  a  belief  in  the  testimony  of  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  concerning  many  things;  and  among  others  con¬ 
cerning  sh’ol  or  hell.  They  seem  to  have  thought  that  the 
God  of  Israel  ought  to  have  adjusted  sh’ol,  as  the  Elysium  and 
Tartarus  of  the  gods  of  the  heathen  had  been  arranged ; 
instead  of  having  made  that  “  under  world  ”  to  be  the  place 
of  death — of  darkness  and  silence,  where  nothing  is  remem¬ 
bered  and  nothing  is  known.  And  so  they  took  it  upon 
themselves,  to  adjust  and  arrange  the  prison-house  of  the  dead, 
in  accordance  with  heathen  conceits. 

They  imagined  two  separate  departments  in  sldol,  separated 
from  each  other  by  an  impassable  chasm  or  gulf.  The  one  side 
they  called  “Abraham’s  bosom,”*  and  thought  of  it,  as  a  place 
of  elysian  repose  and  delight,  to  which  the  souls  of  the  right¬ 
eous — like  themselves — went,  at  the  hour  of  death  ;  and  were 
enjoying  rest  therein.  But  the  other  side  they  thought  of  as  a 
place  of  tartarian  and  tormenting  flame ;  and  to  this  they 
consigned  the  souls  of  the  wicked — those  whom  they  judged 
to  be  such — immediately  after  death  ;  there  to  be  tormented 
until  the  judgment  day,  which  should  precede  the  consum- 


*  It  is  familiarly  known  through  Josephus,  that  these  were  the 
religio-philosophic  opinions  of  the  Pharisees,  and  were  the  religious 
belief  of  the  people,  whose  minds  were  formed  and  governed  by  them. 

10* 


114 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


mation  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  besides  all  this,  they 
believed  and  taught  the  doctrine  of  metempsychosis  or  trans¬ 
migration  of  souls,  first  taught  by  Pythagoras,  about  540 
years  before  the  incarnation  of  the  Lord.  And  so  they 
believed  that  it  was  only  the  perfectly  righteous,  who  needed 
no  repentance,  that  went  at  death,  to  Abraham’s  bosom  ; 
and  that  it  was  only  the  desperately  and  incorrigibly  wicked 
that  went  at  death  into  the  department  of  tormenting  flame. 
The  souls  of  all  others  of  the  nation  of  Israel,  they  taught, 
had  another  opportunity  of  becoming  righteous,  by  transmi¬ 
gration  into  other  bodies ;  and  were  born  a  second  time  into 
the  world  ;  though  it  may  be  to  suffer  for  sins  committed  in 
the  days  of  their  former  history  upon  the  earth.*  Such  was 
the  theodicy  which  the  pharisees  approved. 

They  placed  the  perfectly  righteous  in  Abraham’s  bosom : 
but  in  his  parable,  woven  out  of  their  own  heathen  conceits, 
the  Lord  puts  Lazarus  there ;  who  according  to  their  moral 
judgment,  was  an  incorrigibly  wicked  man,  whom  God  had 
abandoned,  even  when  he  wms  upon  the  earth.  And  they 
placed  the  desperately  evil  and  incorrigibly  wicked,  in  the 
department  of  tormenting  flame  :  but  in  his  parable,  the  Lord 
put  the  “rich  man”  there;  who  according  to  them,  w^as 
thoroughly  righteous,  and  one  whom  God  highly  approved. 
In  this  way,  he  reversed  and  condemned  their  moral  judg¬ 
ment,  for  which  purpose  in  part,  he  had  taken  up  and  used 
their  own  vain  and  heathen  conceits.  But  the  Lord  had  still 
another  end  in  view. 

He  intended  to  expose  the  false  confidence  which  the 
pharisees  rested  on  their  lineal  descent  from  Abraham  ;  on 
their  self-righteousness ;  and  on  their  being  prosperous  and 
rich.  And  for  this  purpose,  he  makes  the  rich  man  recognize 
Abraham,  and  to  claim  a  filial  relationship  to  him,  calling 


*  The  disciples  of  the  Lord  had  received  this  notion,  as  appears  from 
their  question  concerning  the  man  who  had  been  born  blind.  (Jno.  9:  2.) 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


115 


him,  “Father  Abraham/7  and  appealing  to  his  paternal  com¬ 
passion  for  relief.  He  also  makes  Abraham  acknowledge  the 
relationship,  which  the  rich  man  claimed,  and  to  call  him, 
“  Son,’7 — (telcnon,  child,  and  dear  child.)  But,  he  makes 
Abraham  tell  the  rich  man,  that  the  acknowledged  relation¬ 
ship  subsisting  between  them  was  not,  and  could  not,  be  of 
any  avail  to  the  rich  man  ;  either  for  any  personal  relief  or  for 
the  saving  advantage  of  those  which  were  upon  the  earth, 
(the  brothers  of  the  rich  man  ;  which  meant  the  pharisees, 
themselves)  and  who  neglected  and  despised  what  Moses  and 
the  prophets  had  written,  concerning  sin,  and  righteousness, 
and  judgment ;  and  concerning  Him  who  was  to  come.  He 
makes  Abraham  to  testify  concerning  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
and  the  suitableness  and  sufficiency  of  what  they  had  written  ; 
and  to  say,  that  if  their  teaching  were  neglected  and  despised, 
then,  in  that  case,  even  the  fact  and  the  proof  of  the  fact,  of  a 
personal  resurrection  from  the  dead,  could  not  be  of  any  avail, 
for  the  correction  of  inveterate  unbelief.  In  this  way,  Abraham 
is  made  to  tell  the  rich  man,  that  they,  two,  were  irreversibly 
separated  ;  and  that  none,  who  like  himself  despised  the  testi¬ 
mony  of  the  inspired  Book,  could  ever  be  saved  and  enter, 
into  the  kingdom  of  God;  but  at  the  day  of  judgment,  would 
and  must  be  condemned. 

Such  is  the  true  history,  intent,  and  interpretation  of  the 
parable  of  Lazarus  and  the  rich  man.  And  this  the  teachers 
of  the  visible  church  ought  to  know.  But,  instead  of  teaching 
the  way  of  God  in  truth,  they  have  built  upon  their  false  con¬ 
ceptions  of  the  origin  and  intent  of  this  parable — (and  thus 
upon  the  gross  fictions  of  the  pharisees;  and  thus  upon  the 
corrupt  teachings  of  heathen  mythology) — the  ecclesiastical 
doctrines  of  torture  before  trial ;  of  the  locality  of  hell  in  the 
vicinity  of  heaven  ;  of  the  mutual  recognition  of  persons  who 
are  irreversibly  separated  from  each  other — the  one  being  in 
the  paradise  of  God,  and  the  other  in  a  furnace  of  fire ;  and 
of  the  anti-natural  indifference  and  fiendish  exultation  of  the 


116 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


saints  in  heaven,  over  the  writhing  and  eternal  tortures  of  the 
damned  in  hell.  Such  is  the  origin  of  these  evil  doctrines, 
and  of  their  being  taught  in  the  church. 

As  touching  the  ecclesiastical  doctrine  of  torture  before 
trial,  we  ourglit  perhaps,  in  justice,  to  notice  that  which  is 
offered  as  a  justification  of  the  procedure,  thus  attributed  to 
God.  It  is  taught,  that  immediately  that  each  sinner  dies,  he 
appears  before  the  bar  of  God,  and  is  there  tried  and  con¬ 
demned  to  hell.  But  this  teaching  is  not  only  untrue,  but  is 
very  evil ;  for  it  goes  to  represent  the  awful  solemnities  of  the 
day  of  judgment  as  a  mere  and  merciless  farce — a  mere  affair 
of  pompous  and  unmeaning  parade  ;  and  it  contradicts  the 
plain  teaching  of  the  word  of  God,  respecting  dead  sinners ; 
and  particularly,  that  they  are  “reserved  unto  the  day  of 
judgment  to  be  punished  ;”  and  that  they  shall  come  forth 
unto  “the  resurrection  of  damnation,”  in  “the  day  of  judg¬ 
ment  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men.”  This  and  much  more 
of  Holy  Scripture  is  rejected  and  denied  by  the  advocates  of 
the  doctrines  of  the  immortality  of  man,  and  of  endless  misery; 
in  their  method  of  attempting  to  “  assert  eternal  Providence, 
and  vindicate  the  ways  of  God  to  man.” 

But  even  in  this  untrue  and  unholy  method  of  justifying 
the  conduct  which  they  ascribe  to  God — namely,  that  o. 
torture  before  trial,  in  the  case  of  human  sinners — they  have 
not  attempted  to  show  the  justice  of  torturing  the  devil  and 
his  angels  before  the  day  of  decision  has  arrived.  It  is  a 
prominent  part  of  the  doctrine  of  present  torment  in  hell, 
that  human  souls  are  tormented  in  immediate  association 
with  the  devil  and  his  angels,  who  are  said  to  be  shut  up 
in  hell,  being  at  the  same  time  tormented  and  tormentors. 
But  the  erroneousness  of  this  has  been  fully  shown  in  our 
brief  sketch  of  the  revealed  history  of  Satan  and  his  host : 
and  even  the  awful  words  of  the  Lord  concerning  “  the  eternal 
tire  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels,”  might  suffice  to 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


117 


show  to  thoughtful  men,  that  the  judgment  of  God  upon  those 
wicked  spirits,  is  a  future  fact. 

Eveu  demons — who  are  the  devil’s  angels — have  shown  a 
superior  acquaintance  with  the  principles  of  divine  jurispru¬ 
dence,  than  that  which  is  shown  in  ecclesiastical  teaching  on 
this  subject.  Demons,  in  the  time  of  our  Lord’s  humiliation, 
appealed  to  his  justice,  when  they  were  apprehensive  of 
being  put  to  the  proof  *  and  destroyed  “before  the  time.” 
(Matth.  8 :  29  ;  Mark  1:  24.)  And  they  also  “besought 
him  that  he  would  not,”  even  “  command  them  to  go  into  the 
deep” — into  the  abusson,  “the  bottomless  pit,”  as  this  word 
is  generally  translated — (Luke  8:  31,)  the  bottomless  pit  or 
profound  depth,  in  hades ,  in  “  the  heart  of  the  earth,”  where 
the  devil  and  his  angels  shall  be  confined  a  thousand  years. 
Thus  even  demons — the  devil’s  angels — might  teach  some 
wise  and  learned  men,  important  principles  in  relation  to  the 
moral  government  of  God,  and  his  just  and  true  ways,  in 
visiting  iniquity,  with  the  displays  of  his  holy  wrath. 

The  devil  and  his  angels  have  never  yet  been  in  hell :  but 
there  is  another  and  a  different  class  of  angels  of  whom,  Peter 
and  Jude  have  written.  Concerning  them,  Peter  says,  that 
they  were  “  cast  down  to  hell” — to  tartaros ,  the  lowest  depth 
in  the  “  under  world” — where  they  are  left  to  themselves  ; 
“delivered  into  chains  of  darkness,”  and  “  reserved  unto 
judgment.”  (2  Pet.  2  :  4.)  And  Jude  testifies,  that  they  are 
“ reserved  in  everlasting  chains,  under  darkness,  unto  the 
judgment  of  the  great  day.”  (Jude  6.)  Therefore  these 
chained  angels — held  fast  in  chains  of  darkness,  in  the  lowest 
depth  of  hades — these  cannot  walk  about  upon  the  earth, 
practising  moral  mischief  and  inflicting  physical  distress. 
They  cannot  roam  at  large  in  the  regions  of  space,  which  are 
above  the  earth.  It  cannot  possibly  be  this  class  of  beings 


*  The  word  in  the  original,  is  basanisai.  The  origin  and  history  of 
this  word  will  be  shown  as  we  proceed. 


118 


WHAT  IB  MAN  ? 


of  whom  we  are  told,  that  they  have  their  presence  in  the 
heavenlies  ;  whence  they  descend  to  originate  and  promote 
moral  evil  among  men — to  set  up  systematic  antagonism  to 
the  truths  of  the  inspired  Book,  even  in  the  midst  of  the 
church  ;  and  against  whom  the  true  servants  of  Christ  are 
called  upon  to  wrestle — putting  on  the  whole  armor  of  God. 
But  all  this,  and  much  more,  is  true  of  Satan  and  his  host, 
concerning  whose  past  and  present  residence  and  history, 
so  much  that  is  erroneous  is  taught  in  the  visible  church. 
And  if,  in  these  respects,  certain  ecclesiastical  teachers  have 
greatly  erred — not  knowing  the  Scriptures,  nor  the  justice  of 
God — it  cannot  be  surprising  if  they  have  assigned  to  Satan 
a  destiny  that  is  not  assigned  to  him  in  the  Scriptures  of 
truth.  What  then  may  be  learned  concerning  the  destiny  of 
Satan,  in  the  inspired  Book  ? 

We  have  shown  that  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  come  again, 
to  establish  his  predicted  Empire  over  Israel  as  the  Messiah, 
and  over  the  Gentile  nations,  through  Israel,  as  the  Second 
Man,  “  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth  ;”  then  Satan  shall  be  cast 
into  the  abusson,  which  is  sldol,  hades  or  hell,  and  is  called  in 
English  “  the  bottomless  pit.”  Into  this  prison  Satan  shall 
then  be  cast  for  the  first  time,  and  shall  be  imprisoned  during 
a  thousand  years  ;  from  which  prison  he  shall  be  “  loosed  for 
a  little  season,”  and  will  again,  for  a  brief  period  work  wick¬ 
edness  on  the  earth.  (Rev.  20  :  2,  7,  8.)  And  when  his  iniquity 
is  full,  then  his  final  destiny  shall  overtake  him,  and  the  Scrip¬ 
ture  concerning  his  doom  shall  be  fulfilled.  We  say,  When 
his  iniquity  is  full.  For  there  exists  a  principle  of  long- 
suffering,  and  of  equity  in  the  jurisprudence  of  God,  by  reason 
of  which  the  moral  judgment  of  God  against  sin  “is  not 
speedily  executed.”  In  the  days  of  Abraham,  it  was  a  deci¬ 
sion  of  God  that  the  Amorities  should  be  dispossessed  of  the 
land  which  their  very  presence  defiled,  being  the  family  of 
Canaan,  the  accursed,  (Gen.  9:  25-27.)  and  holding  in  posses¬ 
sion  the  land  which  God  had  promised  to  Abraham  and  his 


119 


*  WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 

seed.  But  in  those  days  God  informed  Abraham  that  his  seed 
should  not  enter  upon  the  possession  of  that  land  for  430 
years,  but  should  abide  a  long  time  in  a  strange  land  ;  and 
then  should  be  delivered  and  brought  back  to  the  country  in 
which  Abraham  then  was  :  and  the  reason  which  God  assigned 
for  the  delay  was  expressed  in  these  words: — “For  the 
iniquity  of  the  Amorites  is  not  yet  full.”  (Gen.  15  :  13-16.) 
On  the  same  principle  of  long-suffering,  God  had  waited  in  the 
days  of  Noah,  before  he  destroyed  the  antediluvian  world  :* 
(Gen.  6  :  3  ;  1  Pet.  3  :  20.)  and  it  is  again  brought  under 
notice,  in  his  judgment  upon  that  extensive  and  manifold 
system  of  national  and  ecclesiastical  evil,  dramatically  repre¬ 
sented  by  the  woman  who  is  first  supported  by  a  “  scarlet 
colored  beast,”  and  is  afterwards  destroyed  by  that  beast  and 
his  confederate  kings.  (Rev.  11  :  3-16.)  Of  that  dramatic 
woman  it  is  said,  when  the  day  of  her  doom  has  arrived,  “For 
her  sins  have  reached  to  heaven,  and  God  hath  remembered  her 
iniquities.”  (Rev.  18  :  5.)  And  this  principle  of  divine 
government  is  known  to  Satan  and  his  host,  though  it  may  be 
disregarded  in  the  visible  church.  We  have  shown  that  the 
demons  appealed  to  it,  when  they  trembled  in  the  presence  of 
Christ,  and  pleaded  that  11  the  time ”  of  their  judgment  had  not 
yet  come.  They  could  not  raise  any  question  as  to  the  equity 
of  the  judgment,  when  the  time  shall  have  arrived. 

'The  time  of  Satan’s  judgment  is  after  “the  thousand  years,” 
and  when  his  iniquity  is  full ;  and  then  shall  he  receive  his 
doom  ;  and  his  destiny  shall  be  according  to  his  desert ,  and 


*  When  referring  to  the  Noahic  flood,  Peter  says,  that  the  “  world 
that  then  was  perished.”  (2  Pet.  3:  5,  6.)  The  Jcosmos ,  perished  ;  hut 
the  gee,  remained.  The  antediluvian  kosmos  was  the  then  order  of 
things ;  but  the  gee — which  Peter  distinguishes  from  the  kosmos — was, 
and  is  the  abiding  “earth.”  “The  world  that  then  was,  being  over¬ 
flowed  with  water  perished.  But  the  heavens  and  the  earth  which  are  now 
by  the  same  word  are  kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  fire,  against  the  day 
of  judgment  and  perdition  of  ungodly  men.” 


120 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


* 


in  accordance  with  the  dignity  of  God.  A  two-fold  destiny 
awaits  the  devil — the  one,  political,  and  the  other,  personal. 
God  has  his  eternal  purpose,  and  Satan  has  his  most  evil 
policy.  The  dramatic  representation  of  the  purpose  and 
scheme  of  God,  is  that  of  a  glorious  woman  ;  and  the  dramatic 
representation  of  the  personal  policy  and  scheme  of  Satan,  is 
that  of  a  “  great  red  dragon.”  (Rev.  12:  1-3.)  We  are 
taught  to  distinguish  in  our  minds  between  the  blessed  God, 
and  the  purpose  of  his  manifold  wisdom  ;  to  which  the  idea 
of  maternity  is  attached.  But  Satan  and  his  host  are 
involved  in  his  own  policy  and  plan  :  and  in  the  doom  of  his 
policy,  his  person  and  the  persons  of  his  host  are  involved. 
But  it  is  the  personal  policy  of  Satan,  that  the  great  red 
dragon  more  especially  represents,  in  Rev.  12  :  3.  And  it  is 
the  great  red  dragon,  that  is  caught  and  chained  and  cast  into 
the  abyss,  and  is  imprisoned  there  a  thousand  years ;  and  is 
then  let  loose  ;  and  is  afterwards  cast  into  “  the  lake  of  fire.” 
The  policy  of  Satan,  as  we  have  just  remarked,  involves  his 
person;  and  so  the  doom  of  his  policy  involves  his  personal 
doom.  But  it  is  the  political  doom  of  the  devil,  or  the  devil 
as  politically  considered,  that  is  intended,  and  is  dramatically 
described,  when  it  is  said,  ‘‘And  the  devil  that  deceived 
them  ( the  nations')  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone, 
where  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  are ;  and  they  shall 
be  tormented  day  and  night,  for  ever  and  ever.”  (Rev.  20  : 
10.)  The  passive  verb,  in  the  original,  basanistheesontai , 
is  a  plural  verb,  and  so  requires  to  be  read,  “  and  they  shall 
be  tormented  or,  as  divested  of  the  dramatic  dress — “  and 

*  The  dramatic  force  and  design  of  this  plural  verb,  basanistheesontai , 
is  not — they  shall  be  tortured,  as  some  men  count  torture.  As  we  have 
noticed  befoi'e:  that  the  verb,  basanizo,  and  the  noun,  basamsmos ,  are 
derived  from  basanos,  the  name  of  a  gtone  found  in  Lydia,  in  Asia 
Minor,  by  which  gold  was  tried — a  touch  stone.  From  the  literal 
meaning  of  basanos ,  came  the  metaphorical  use  of  basanismos — that 
which  tests  or  puts  to  the  proof.  In  the  mind  of  a  Roman  Inquisitor — • 


WHAT  :s  MAN  ? 


121 


they  shall  be  put  to  the  proof,  unto  the  ages  of  the  ages.” 
That  trinity  of  evil,  called  “the  dragon,”  and  “the  beast,” 
and  “  the  false  prophet,”  shall  be  together,  involved  in  the 
same  final  doom. 

But  who,  or  what  are  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  ? 
What  do  they  symbolize  in  the  drama  of  the  apocalypse  ? 
On  the  true  ascertainment  of  this,  very  much  depends,  in 
relation  to  the  truth  concerning  the  destiny  described.  They 
are  symbols  of  governmental  and  of  moral  polity  and 
power ;  and  their  origin  and  history  must  be  sought  after 
and  learned.  Composite  symbols  of  governmental  attributes 
and  power  are  of  very  ancient  date.  They  were  first 

both  ancient  and  modern — both  secular  and  ecclesiastical — this  word, 
and  its  verbs,  came  to  mean  torture,  and  torturing,  to  elicit  evidence  or 
co  extort  a  confession.  But  even  in  this  there  was  an  end  proposed  to 
Ce  obtained  by  means  of  the  torture ;  and,  so,  an  end  to  the  torture 
Itself.  The  torment  inflicted  was,  professedly  at  least ,  a  means  to  an 
end ;  and  not  for  the  mere  sake  of  tormenting — as  the  ways  of  God  are 
noAv  represented  to  be — which  representation  is  most  evil,  and  a 
calumny  against  the  Lord. 

In  common  discourse,  the  word  basanismos,  and  its  verbs  came  to 
represent  the  ideas  of  painful  toil,  and  great  bodily  affliction ;  just  as 
the  word  “martyr”  is  used  to  signify  one  who  greatly  suffers.  But 
the  word,  martyr  is  the  English  form  of  the  Greek  and  Scriptural  word 
martur,  which  means  a  “witness.”  But  the  common  use  of  the  word, 
martyr,  has  arisen  from  the  fact,  that  the  witnesses  of  Christ  have 
suffered  greatly,  even  to  death :  and  in  like  manner,  the  words,  basanos, 
and  basanismos,  and  the  verbs  derived  therefrom,  came  to  signify,  in 
common  discourse,  great  suffering,  and  the  infliction  of  torture ; 
because,  that  by  the  inquisitors  of  Greece,  and  Borne,  men  were 
grievously  tormented.  But  as  the  word  martur,  always  means  a  wit¬ 
ness,  basanismos,  and  its  verbs  always  retain  their  radical  meaning, 
when  used  in  relation  to  the  jurisprudence  and  penal  administration  of 
God.  The  feminine  symbol,  called  “Babylon  the  Great,”  and  the 
masculine  symbols,  called  “the  beast  and  the  false  prophet,”  are  said 
to  be  tormented  ;  that  is,  the  systems  of  ecclesiastical,  and  of  secular, 
and  moral  polity  and  power,  which  those  symbols  represent,  shall  be 
tested  and  put  to  the  proof. 


122 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


instituted  of  God,  in  the  cherubim  that  were  entabernacled  in 
the  garden  of  Eden,  as  the  attendants  of  the  sacred  fire,  to 
keep  the  w&y  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  to  debar  man,  “  lest  he 
put  forth  his  hand  and  take  also  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  eat, 
and  live  forever.”  The  cherubim  represented  the  govern¬ 
mental  attributes  of  God  ;  and  their  forms  were  those  of  the 
eagle,  the  bull,  the  lion  and  the  man  :  and  in  after  years  they 
were  artistically  reproduced  and  combined  in  the  golden 
cherubim,  that  formed  a  part  of  the  mercy-seat  in  the  most 
holy  place  of  the  Mosaic  tabernacle ;  and  were  the  heraldic 
supporters  of  the  governmental  glory  of  God — as  the  God 
and  King  of  the  nation  which  he  had  redeemed. 

The  knowledge  of  the  Edenic  cherubim  survived  the 
Noahic  flood.  Their  forms  were  reproduced  at  Nineveh,  as 
symbols  of  human  power  and  glory ;  claimed  and  asserted  in 
the  way  of  despotic  dominion  :  and  those  Ninevite  symbols 
have  recently  been  exhumed.  In  a  word  :  a  perverted  knowl¬ 
edge  of  the  Edenic  cherubim,  and  of  the  sacred  fire,  is  the 
origin  of  the  sensible  images  of  idolatry ,  and  of  the  armorial 
bearings  of  heraldry ;  and  also  of  astronomical  signs. 

The  nations  of  the  world,  having  impiously  adopted  and 
perverted  the  symbols  of  the  divine  government  over  the 
world,  God  has  been  pleased  to  make  a  dramatic  and  pro¬ 
phetic  use  of  such  symbols  as  the  nations  have  adopted  and 
revered  ;  and  by  means  of  those  symbols,  to  express  his  esti¬ 
mate  of  the  policy  and  power  of  the  nations  of  the  world  ; 
and  also  to  show  what  shall  be  the  end  of  “  all  rule  and  all 
authority  and  power,”  of  which  men  are  the  claimants,  and  of 
which  Satan  is  the  despotic  Chief  Prince. 

The  “  serpent  ”  also,  and  the  “  dragon  ”*  are  images  of 

The  word  drakon,  in  Greek,  is  remotely  derived  from  derJco,  which 
means  to  see,  to  behold;  and  seems  primarily,  to  denote  keen  perceptive¬ 
ness  and  sagacity.  The  word  ophis,  a  serpent,  has  the  same  ideal  mean¬ 
ing,  but  is  derived  from  optomai.  The  Hebrew  origin  of  the  dramatic  use 
of  the  word,  drakon  in  the  Apocalypse  may  be  dah-racii,  the  ideal 


WITAT  IS  MAX  ? 


123 


idolatry,  and  forms  of  heraldry,  and  signs  of  mysterious 
science  :  and  “  the  sacred  fire  ”  of  the  oriental  heathen  is 
worshiped  with  awe.  But  ‘'the  serpent,”  is  the  first  name 
of  Satan ;  and  was  the  form  which  he  assumed  when  he  intro¬ 
duced  and  urged  the  doctrine  of  man’s  inherent  immortality; 
calumniating  God  and  working  the  ruin  and  destruction  of 
the  first  man  and  his  race.  And  “the  dragon”  is  a  symbol 
of  Satan’s  personal  policy ,  in  all  his  evil  working  among  and 
over  the  nations  of  the  world. 

Sulphur  or  “  brimstone  ”  was  associated,  in  the  minds  of  the 
ancient  nations  with  their  ideas  of  “the  sacred  fire,”  which 
they  worshiped  as  their  chief  administrative  God.  The  Greeks 
called  brimstone,  theion,  from  theios — divine.  Among  idola¬ 
trous  nations,  “  brimstone,”  which  they  called  the  divine 
reality  or  virtue,  was  pre-eminently  used  in  their  religious 
purifications :  and  to  secure  effectually  this  divine  and  puri¬ 
fying  virtue,  they  had  its  application  accompanied  by  a  blazing 
torch — a  burning  torch,  with  the  addition  of  brimstone,  was 
three  times  carried  round  the  person  who  was  to  be  religiously 
purified  and  made  clean.  “  Fire  and  brimstone  ”  were  thus 
made  the  objects  of  human  confidence  and  hope.  And  so 
God  has  been  pleased,  dramatically  to  employ  “fire  and  brim¬ 
stone”  to  test  “the  beast  and  the  false  prophet;”  and  “the 
dragon  ”  with  them ;  and  indeed  to  test  and  put  to  the  proof, 
all  who  have  actively  and  lawlessly  opposed  themselves  to  his 
truth  and  ways ;  both  in  the  nation  of  Israel,  and  in  the 
visible  church.  Hypocrites  and  apostates  shall  hereafter  be 
put  to  the  proof.* 

meaning  of  which  is,  to  tread ,  to  tread  upon ;  and  so  to  oppress,  and  to 
destroy.  In  the  Welsh,  the  word  for  dragon,  is  draig,  and  signifies  a 
leader,  a  chief  or  sovereign;  from  dragiaw,  to  draw  or  lead  along.  In 
its  druidical  and  mythological  meaning,  this  Welsh  word  dbatg,  signifies 
a  procreative  principle,  a  fiery  serpent ,  a  dragon,  and  a  God — the  supreme 
God.  Mythological  and  dramatic  ideas  of  the  dragon,  were  familiar  to 
the  ancient  nations  of  the  East. 

*  The  metaphoric  and  dramatic  use  of  the  words  and  ideas  of 


124 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


It  must  also  be  borne  in  mind,  that  all  worship  not 
rendered  to  the  eternal  Godhead,  is  worship  offered  to 
devils — to  Satan  and  his  angels.  Both  Moses  at  the  head  of 
Israel,  and  Paul  in  the  midst  of  the  church  testify  of  this. 
(Levit.  It  :  t  ;  Deut,  32  :  It ;  1  Cor.  10  :  20.)  All  worship 
that  is  not  true  and  duteous  worship,  presented  to  the  true 
God,  as  ordained  by  Him — is  offered  up  to  devils,  and  is 
accepted  by  them  ;  whether  it  be  the  bodily  and  ceremonial 
worship  of  idols,  and  the  offering  of  sacrifice  to  them  ;  or 
whether  it  be  the  mental  worship  of  Mammon,  (Money)  in 
the  devotion  of  the  soul  to  the  acquisition  of  wealth.  Or  if 
it  be  'power  that  is  worshiped,  instead  of  God,  such  worship 
is  offered  to  Satan;  as  it  is  said:  “And  all  the  world 
wandered  after  the  beast :  and  they  worshiped  the  dragon 
who  gave  power  unto  the  beast.” 

But  who,  or  what  is  the  beast?  “The  beast”  is  a  com¬ 
posite  symbol  of  the  secular  polity  and  power  of  the  Roman 
world  in  the  last  stage  of  its  history,  as  sketched  on  the  pages 
of  inspired  truth.” 

We  have  said,  that  God  has  been  pleased  to  employ,  in  the 
tvay  of  prophetic  and  dramatic  representation,  the  kind  of 
symbols  that  the  men  of  the  earth  have  arrogantly  adopted  as 
the  insignia  of  their  glory  and  power.  In  this  way  He  has 
sketched  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  Empires  of  the  world.  The 
autocratic  and  absolute  despotism  of  Babylon  is  represented 
by  the  lion ;  the  aristocratic  despotism  and  ferocious  prowess 
of  Medio-Persia  by  the  bear;  the  military  despotism  of 
Grecia,  and  its  rapid  conquests,  and  also  its  civilization — its 
arts  and  sciences  and  philosophy — by  the  agile  and  cruel,  but 

brimstone  and  fire,  does  not  by  any  means,  interfere  with  the  idea  and 
fact  of  literal  fire  to  be  employed  of  God,  in  the  final  destruction  of  the 
ungodly,  and  the  world.  The  testimony  of  Holy  Scripture  is  quite 
explicit  on  this  subject.  The  dramatic  fire  shall  put  to  the  proof ;  but 
the  literal  fire  shall  utterly  destroy ;  and  this  shall  be  the  end  of  all 
things  that  are  evil. 


WITAT  IS  MAN  ? 


125 


elegant  leopard;  and  the  subduing  and  manifold  power  of 
Rome  is  represented  by  a  non-descript  beast,  having  great 
iron  teeth,  and  ten  horns,  in  and  upon  its  head.  (Dan.  7  : 
1-8.)  But  “the  beast”  of  the  apocalypse  is  otherwise  and 
variously  described. 

The  first  time  “  the  beast  ”  is  mentioned,  he  is  spoken  of  as 
ascending  out  of  the  abyss — the  abusson,  or  profound  depth. 
(Rev.  11  :  7.)  The  signification  of  this  is  twofold  :  first,  it 
is  designed  to  intimate,  that  the  polity  represented — in  the 
elements  and  exercise  of  its  power — is  not  of  God.  It  is  from 
beneath,  and  not  from  above.  And  secondly,  it  .is  intended 
to  show,  that  the  polity  symbolized,  had  once  appeared  on  the 
stage  of  the  Roman  world ;  had  also  disappeared  ;  and  shall 
reappear  :  for  whosoever  and  whatsoever  is  represented  as 
descending  into,  or  ascending  out  of  the  abyss,  had  previously 
performed  a  part  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.  For  the  reasons 
now  intimated,  “  the  beast  ”  is  spoken  of  as  “  the  beast  that 
was,  and  is  not,  and  yet  is,  or  shall  be  present .”  (Rev.  17 :  8.) 

The  formal  rise  and  manifestation  of  a  composite  beast  is 
dramatically  shown  in  Rev.  13  :  1-10.  He  is  represented  as 
coming  up  out  of  the  sea — which  is  the  symbol  of  political  and 
revolutionary  commotion.  Besides  having  all  the  symbolic 
characteristics  of  Babylon,  Medio-Persia,  Greece  and  Rome, 
he  has  seven  heads — which  represent  seven  distinguishable 
polities,  or  mutations  of  power.  One  of  these  heads  is  repre¬ 
sented  as  having  been  mortally  wounded,  or  slain,  with  a 
sword  ;  but  also  as  being  healed.  The  seventh  and  last  form 
of  Roman  polity  is  in  this  way  described.  It  has  appeared, 
and  was  slain  with  a  sword  :  and  it  shall  re-appear,  in  the  full 
activity  and  energy  of  vigorous  life.  And  of  this  beast,  as 
restored  to  full  vigor  upon  the  earth,  it  is  said,  “  And  the 
dragon  gave  him  his  power,  and  his  throne,  and  great 
authority.”  The  “great  red  dragon”  is  previously  repre¬ 
sented,  as  “  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  seven 

diadems  upon  his  heads.”  Now  the  dragon  is  “that  old 

11* 


126 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


serpent,  called  the  Devil  and  Satan,”  and  by  his  seven 
crowned  heads,  the  fact  is  represented,  that  the  seven  successive 
polities  of  the  Roman  Empire  have  been  and  are  the  seven-fold 
policy  of  Satan,  in  his  antagonism  to  the  purpose,  and  the 
truths  of  God.  But  “  the  beast  ”  “  is  an  eighth,  and  is  out 
of  the  seven.”  lie  is  the  mature  product  and  result  of  the 
seven-fold  policy  of  Satan — the  great  master-piece  of  the  evil 
wisdom  and  mighty  power  of  the  Devil.  That,  which  at  first 
is  shown  as  the  slain,  but  miraculously  healed,  head  of  the 
composite  beast — Satan’s  miracle  of  power — is  subsequently 
shown  to  be  evolved  in  the  manifestation  of  “the  beast.”  or 
that  out  of  which  the  distinctive  character  of  “the  beast  ”  is 
evolved.  (Rev.  It  :  11.)  He  ascendeth  out  of  the  abyss; 
and  he  “goeth  into  perdition,” — eis  apoleian,  that  is,  unto 
destruction — final  and  eternal  destruction;  but  he  is  first 
to  be  pul  to  the  proof. 

“  The  false  prophet”  is,  in  the  first  instance  called  “another 
beast,”  which  is  represented  as  “coming  up  out  of  the  earth.” 
That  is,  he  arises  out  of  the  ordered  and  settled  state  of  things 
in  the  Roman  World,  when  revolutionary  commotion  shall 
have  subsided  ;  as  the  effect  of  the  parousia,  or  manifested 
presence  of  “  the  first  beast to  whom  Satan  gives  “  his 
power,  and  his  throne,  and  great  authority.”  This  second 
beast,  “  the  false  prophet  ”  is  the  symbol  of  the  moral  polity 
and  power  of  the  Roman  World,  in  the  last  stage  of  its 
history.  It  will  be  accredited  of  Satan,  who  will  display  in  it, 
most  marvelous  powers — miraculous  powers,  in  imitation  of 
the  powers  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  as  shown  through  Moses,  and 
the  prophets,  and  the  apostles  of  the  Lord.  But  the  world 
will  not  know  or  believe  that  it  is  the  great  power  and 
authority  of  Satan.  And  this  second  beast  will  act  in 
subserviency  to  the  first  beast,  and  will  exercise  all  his 
authority  in  his  presence;  (Rev.  13:  11-11.)  that  is,  the 
moral  polity  or  system  will  be  sustained  by  the  secular  power, 


what  is  man  ? 


127 


and  will  enforce  the  arrogant  and  blasphemous  pretensions 
and  will  of  the  secular  power. 

This  second  beast  is  first  called  “  the  false  prophet”  in 
Rev.  16  :  13,  and  lie  is  so  called,  because  that,  the  moral 
polity  which  is  thus  described  will  claim  to  be  the  mature 
result  of  manly  wisdom  :  but  it  will  be  the  maturity  of  the 
wisdom  of  the  world  and  of  Satan,  (the  prince  of  this  world 
and  the  God  of  this  age)  wisdom  “without  God,”  and  against 
the  will,  and  purpose,  and  truths,  and  saints  of  God  ;  and 
therefore  not  fit  to  be  represented  by  a  feminine  symbol — 
“a  woman.”  The  purpose  and  polity  of  God  is  symbolized 
by  a  glorious  woman.  (Rev.  12  :  1.)  But  the  moral  policy 
of  Satan#  is  represented  by  a  “beast,”  who  pretends  to  exer¬ 
cise  an  innocent,  lamb-like  power ;  but,  who  utters  and 
enforces  the  sentiments  and  will  of  a  dragon  :  and  the  symbol 
being  masculine ,  and  representing  that  which  claims  to  be  the 
maturity  of  manly  wisdom,  is  called  also,  “the  false  prophet.” 

Concerning  “  the  beast,”  it  is  shown  that  he  will  obtain 
the  ascendency  over  the  ruling  powers  of  the  Roman  world  : 
“and  these  shall  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb 
shall  overcome  them.”  But  before  their  combined  powers 
are  directed  in  one  united  movement  of  hostility  to  “  the 
Christ,”  and  against  “them  that  are  with  him,”  these  ruling 
powers,  headed  up  by  “the  beast,”  or  having  adopted  the 
policy  called  “  the  beast” — these  ruling  powers  will  expose 
that  which  is  described  as  a  wicked  woman,  even  “Babylon 
the  Great.”  They  will  also,  confiscate  her  substance  and 
destroy  her  system.  And  the  reason  assigned,  is  this  :  “  For 
God  hath  put  in  their  hearts  to  fulfil  his  will  {teen  gnomeen 
autou,  His  policy)  and  to  agree  and  give  their  kingdom,  or 
sovereignty,  to  the  beast,  until  the  words  of  God  are  fulfilled.” 
They  will  be  the  executioners  of  the  wrath  of  God,  against 
that  abominable  woman,  who  shall  be  utterly  burnt  with  fire ; 
and  concerning  whom  it  is  said,  “And  her  smoke  rose  up  for 
ever  and  ever.” 


128 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


The  great  conflict  between  the  ruling  powers  of  the  Roman 
world — the  horns  of  the  beast,  the  product  of  his  inward 
energy,  and  instruments  of  this  evil  power — the  great  conflict, 
between  these  hostile  powers  and  the  Lord,  is  described  in 
Rev.  19  :  11—21.  In  recording  his  vision,  John  first  describes 
the  appearing  of  the  Lord,  as  that  of  a  veteran  and  majestic 
warrior,  upon  a  white  horse,  and  followed  by  the  armies  of 
heaven  on  white  horses.  (The  raised,  and  changed,  and 
immortalized  saints  are  thus  described.)  And  then  John  says, 
“  And  I  saw  the  beast  and  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  their 
armies,  gathered  together  to  make  war  with  him  that  sat  on 
the  horse,  and  against  his  army.  And  the  beast  was  taken 
and  with  him  the  false  prophet  that  wrought  miracles  before 
him,  with  which  he  deceived  them  that  had  received  the  mark 
of  the  beast,  and  them  that  worshiped  his  image.  These 
both  were  cast  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire,  burning  with  brim¬ 
stone.  .And  the  remnant  (that  is,  the  persons)  were  slain 
with  the  sword  of  him  that  sat  upon  the  horse,  which  (sword) 
proceedeth  out  of  his  mouth  :  and  all  the  fowls  were  filled 
with  their  flesh.”  It  must  be  thoughtfully  observed  that  the 
persons  were  slain  on  the  earth,  but  the  symbols  were  cast 
into  the  lake  of  fire — “  were  cast  alive ,  into  a  lake  of  fire, 
burning  wdth  brimstone.” 

We  have  now  arrived  at  a  solution  of  the  question,  Who , 
or  what  are  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  ?  The  process 
may  have  seemed  long  and  tedious  to  the  reader,  but  it  is  the 
only  path  along  which  we  could  arrive  at  the  true  solution  ; 
and  this  is  necessary  to  the  purpose  in  view. 

In  Daniel  T  :  11,  the  destiny  of  the  Roman  “  beast”  is 
spoken  of  thus  :  “  I  beheld  till  the  beast  was  slain,  and  his 
body  destroyed,  and  given  to  the  burning  flame.”  Daniel 
thus  foresaw  the  ultimate  end  of  ‘'the  beast,”  even  as  it  is 
foredeclared  twdce  in  Rev.  11  :  he  shall  “go  unto  destruc¬ 
tion” — apoleian.  But  here  in  Rev.  19  :  20,  an  additional 
truth  is  supplied,  as  compared  with  what  Daniel  beheld.  John 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


129 


saw  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  cast  alive ,  into  the  lake 
of  fire ;  and  they  are  represented  as  being  still  there  and 
alive,  at  the  end  of  the  thousand  years,  when  Satan  is  let 
loose  out  of  his  prison.  And  this  is  intended  to  teach,  in 
the  way  of  dramatic  representation,  what  is  elsewhere  taught 
in  a  plain  way,  viz  : — that  during  and  throughout  the  thousand 
years,  it  shall  be  left,  as  an  open  question,  as  to  whether  those 
same  systems  of  secular  and  moral  power — represented  by 
the  beast  and  the  false  prophet — will  ever  be  able  to  rise  up 
again,  and  be  re-established  upon  the  earth.  This  is  what 
is  meant ;  and  so  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  are  repre¬ 
sented  as  alive,  in  an  open  pool  or  lake  of  fire,  burning  with 
brimstone,  upon  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  in  the  view  of 
all.  And  when  Satan  is  let  loose,  the  great  experiment  is 
tried  :  for  11  he  goes  out  to  deceive  the  nations  which  are  in 
the  four  quarters  of  the  earth  and  a  general  and  simulta¬ 
neous,  insurrectionary  movement  is  the  immediate  effect  of  his 
wicked  policy  and  power. 

It  is  shown  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  Paul,  that  the  Millen¬ 
nial  Empire  of  the  Lord  will  be  a  sovereignty  of  restraint — ■ 
the  restraint  of  evil  during  the  thousand  years,  and  the  des¬ 
truction  of  all  evil,  in  the  end.  In  Heb.  1  :  13  and  2  :  8, 
Paul  quotes  from  Ps.  8  :  6  and  110  :  1,  2;  with  this  twofold 
truth  in  view.  The  second  verse  of  Ps.  110,  should  be 
observed  and  pondered  well; — “Jehovah  shall  send  the  rod 
of  thy  strength  out  of  Zion  :  rule  thou  in  the  midst  of 

_  s 

thine  enemies.”  In  Ps.  18,  David  represents  the  Messiah, 
and  therein  he  says,  “  A  people  whom  I  have  not  known  (or 
previously  acknowledged )  shall  serve  me  :  as  soon  as  they 
hear  of  me,  they  shall  obey  me  :  (such  as  Egypt  and  Assyria) 
— the  strangers  (bh’nai-neii-chaiir,  characteristically  aliens 
in  heart )  shall  submit  themselves  to  me  — yield  feigned 
submission  ;  the  original  is  from  kah-chasii,  to  dissemble, 
to  enact  a  lie.  And  in  Ps.  G6,  in  which  the  mnjesty  of 
Messiah’s  kingdom  is  the  theme,  it  is  said,  “  Make  a  joyful 


130 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


noise  unto  God,  all  the  earth  :  Sing  forth  the  honor  of  his 
name ;  make  his  praise  glorious.  Say  unto  God,  How  terri¬ 
ble  art  thou  in  thy  works  !  through  the  greatness  of  thy  power 
shall  thine  enemies  submit  themselves  unto  thee — yield 
feigned  submission. 

All  through  the  thousand  years,  the  remembrance  of  the 
polity  and  powers,  called  “  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet,” 
will  be  kept  alive  in  the  hearts  of  the  dessembling  nations  ; 
and  they  will  in  their  hearts  hate  the  dominion  of  the  Son  of 
Man,  who  will  in  truth,  “  rule  them  with  an  iron  sceptre,” 
(Ps  2,)  in  as  far  as  restraining  power  is  concerned  :  but  his 
laws  will  be  holy,  just  and  good  ;  and  his  administration  will 
be  righteousness  and  beneficence  and  peace.  Yet  in  their 
hearts,  the  nations  will  hate  his  dominion,  and  count  it  a  heavy 
and  galling  yoke  ;  because  their  self-will  is  curbed,  and  the 
evil  of  their  hearts  is  restrained.  They  will  long  to  be  free 
from  the  governmental  yoke  of  the  Messiah.  But  Satan  will 
then  be  confined,  and  man  is  a  poor,  weak  thing,  even  for 
evil,  when  not  instigated  and  energized  by  the  devil — he  is 
then  a  poor,  fearful  and  cowardly  thing.  But  at  the  end  of 
the  millennium,  Satan  will  be  loosed  out  of  his  prison,  and 
immediately  the  evil  courage  of  the  nations  will  be  revived  ; 
and  they  will  rise  up  in  united  rebellion  against  the  government 
of  Christ,  which  they  have  long  hated,  but  of  the  power  of 
which,  they  were  sore  afraid.  And  then  will  the  hour  have 
come,  when,  with  the  help  of  the  devil,  those  nations  will  seek 
to  repossess  the  earth,  and  once  more  call  it  their  own.  Then 
the  question  will  be  decided,  as  to  whether,  with  the  help  of 
Satan,  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  shall  escape  from  the  lake 
of  fire,  and  reappear,  in  power,  on  the  earth.  But  in  the 
prophetic  drama,  it  is  said,  concerning  the  insurrectionary  and 
rebellious  nations,  “  And  fire  came  down  from  God  out  of 
heaven,  and  devoured  them.  And  the  devil  that  deceived 
them  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  where  the 
beast  and  the  false  prophet  are,  and  they  shall  be  put  to  the 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


131 


proof  day  and  night,  unto  the  ages  of  the  ages.”  Instead  of 
an  escape  and  a  re-establishment  on  the  part  of  the  beast  and 
the  false  prophet,  by  the  assistance  of  the  devil,  he  himself  is 
cast  into  the  same  lake  of  fire  with  them,  and  to  share  their 
doom  ;  and  it  shall  not  any  longer  be  an  open  question ,  as  to 
whether  moral  evil  shall  reappear  and  become  rampant  on  the 
earth,  or  in  any  department  of  the  universe  of  God. 

Such  is  the  intent  of  the  passage  in  R>ev.  20  :  10.  The 
political  destiny  of  Satan  is  therein  dramatically  described  : 
but  his  personal  destiny  is  involved  in  the  destruction  of  the 
Roman  beast,  as  foreseen  by  Daniel,  in  vision  ;  (Dan.  7  :  11.) 
and  as  twice  fo redeclared,  in  plain  words  to  John  (Rev. 
17:  8-11.) 

The  personal  destiny  of  that  old  serpent,  the  calummiator 
and  adversary,  was  foredeclared  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  and  in 
significant  words  too — in  that  which  is  commonly  called,  “  the 
first  promise,”  but  is  most  erroneously  so  called.  In  the  affair 
of  a  promise ,  there  must  be  the  promiser  and  the  promisee  ; 
but  in  the  passage  in  Gen.  3  :  14,  15,  God  is  the  speaker,  and 
the  serpent  is  the  one  addressed,  and  the  subject  of  that  which 
is  declared  :  “And  Jehovah  Eloheem  said  unto  the  serpent, 
Because  thou  hast  done  this,  thou  art  cursed  above  all  cattle, 
and  above  every  beast  of  the  field  :  upon  thy  belly  shalt  thou 
go,  and  dust* shalt  thou  eat  all  the  days  of  thy  life.  And  I 
will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  thy 
seed  and  her  seed  ;  it  shall  bruise  (or  crush)  thy  head,  and 
thou  shalt  bruise  (or  crush)  his  heel.” 

Now,  if  teachers  of  the  visible  church  have  so  erred,  as  to 
call  this  curse  by  the  name  of  “the  first  promise,”  it  is  no 
marvel  that  they  have  so  greatly  erred  concerning  the  destiny 
of  Satan.  The  figurative  words  of  the  curse  upon  the  devil, 
are  most  significant  words — every  word  is  weighty  : — 

1.  The  devil  is  cursed  above  all  cattle  and  every  beast  of 
the  field.  Great  as  he  was — in  intellect,  and  evil,  moral 


132 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


power,  and  physical  might,  lie  shall  be  more  debased  than  the 
brute  beasts. 

2.  He  shall  be  physically  degraded  :  this  shall  be  fulfilled 
when  he  is  cast  out  of  the  heavenlies,  and  restricted  for  a 
short  time,  to  the  surface  of  the  earth: — ‘‘upon  thy  belly 
slialt  thou  go.” 

3.  He  shall  be  most  thoroughly  subjugated ;  as  when  he 
shall  be  seized  and  chained,  and  cast  into  the  abyss,  and  there 
imprisoned  a  thousand  years  : — “  dust  slialt  thou  eat as  it 
is  said  of  all,  who  rise  up  against  “the  second  man,”  the 
Messiah:  “His  enemies  shall  lick  the  dust.” 

4.  His  conflict  with  the  Seed  of  the  woman — his  cruel  hos¬ 
tility  to  “the  second  man”  is  expressly  foreshown:  “thou 
slialt  crush  his  heel.”  But  that  will  be  only  a  momentary 
injury  to  him.  But,  “he  shall  crush  thy  head  ”  and  that  will 
be  fatal  to  thee — thou  slialt  be  not  only  vanquished  and 
stunned  in  the  conflict,  but  in  the  end  thou  slialt  be  slain — ■ 
ignominiously  and  utterly  destroyed. 

The  degradation  and  the  destiny  of  the  devil,  which  was 
thus  foredeclared  when  the  serpent  was  cursed,  is  shown  to 
be  one  great  end,  contemplated  in  the  incarnation  and  myste¬ 
rious  death  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  it  is  written,  in  plain  words, 
without  any  figure  of  speech  :  “  For  as  much,  then,  as  the 
children  are  partakers  of  flesh'and  blood,  he  also  himself 
likewise  partook  of  the  same,  that  through  death  he  might 
Destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is  the  devil.” 
(Heb.  2:  14.) 

We  have  shown  how  God  has  denounced  the  doom  of  the 
devil :  and  he  shall  not  escape — shall  not  survive  the  crushing 
blow  that  shall  come  upon  his  head  from  the  power  of  the 
woman’s  Seed.  And  we  now  turn  back  to  those  terrible 
words :  “  The  eternal  fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels.”  By  that  “eternal  fire”  the  devil  and  his  angels 
shall  be  destroyed — as  they  know,  and  some  of  them  have 
shown  that  they  know ;  and  all  who  are  cast  into  that  eternal 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


133 


fire  shall  also  be  destroyed,  even  as  Sodom  and  Gomorrha 
were  destroyed. 

The  apostles,  Jude  and  Peter,  both  tell  us  that  the  destruc¬ 
tion  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrha  is  set  forth,  or  recorded,  for  an 
example.  Jude  describes  the  instrument  of  destruction — • 
“the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire;”  (Jude  7,)  and  Peter  des¬ 
cribes  the  result — “turning  the  cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrha 
into  ashes.”  (2  Peter  2  :  6.)  And  in  like  manner,  God 
denounced  the  doom  of  the  first  man,  saying,  “  For  dust 

THOU  ART,  AND  UNTO  DUST  SHALT  THOU  RETURN.” 

The  revealed  penalty  of  human  sin,  and  in  this,  the  revealed 
destiny  of  man,  as  a  sinner,  is  that  which  we  are  more  par¬ 
ticularly  called  upon  to  make  manifest,  from  the  inspired 
Book. 

The  premonition  given  of  God  to  the  first  man,  must  be 
again  noticed  here:  “But  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil,  thou  shall  not  eat  of  it ;  for  in  the  day  that 
thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die.”  The  words  of  fore¬ 
warning,  we  have  explained,  but  must  do  so  again  : — motii 
tamooth,  to  die ,  thou  shalt  die  ;  the  infinitive  preceding  the 
future.  The  grammatical  rule  has  been  shown,  but  it  must 
be  repeated  : — “  When  the  infinite  precedes  a  finite  verb  of 
the  same  sense,  intensity  and  certainty  are  signified.  But 
if  an  infinitive  follow,  then,  and  in  that  case,  continuation 
and  repetition  are  implied.”  But  in  the  clause,  moth 
tamooth,  the  infinitive  precedes  the  future ;  and  the  true 
meaning  and  force  of  the  clause  is  this  :  “  For  in  the  day 
that  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  art  fore-doomed  to  die  :  and 
on  some  future  day,  thou  shalt  certainly  and  utterly  die.” 

But,  in  ecclesiastical  teaching,  the  grammatical  rule  and 
usage  governing  the  above  clause  is  falsified  and  reversed  ; 
and  the  ideas  of  continuation  and  repetition  are  arbitrarily 
substited  for  those  of  intensity  and  certainty.  And  in  this 
way,  an  inexcusable  solecism  is  introduced,  and  is  ascribed  to 

the  premonitory  language  of  God.  Jehovah  Eloheem  is 

12 


/ 


134 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


represented  as  saying  to  the  man,  “  For  on  the  very  day  on 
which  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  begin  to  die  ;  yea  thou 
shalt  die  and  continue  to  die — be  repeatedly  and  continuously, 
and  always  dying. ”  And  by  means  of  this  solecism,  the 
doctrine  of  three  deaths  has  been  introduced  and  is  enforced  ; 
and  for  this  purpose  other  solecisms  are  employed.  The 
three  deaths  said  to  have  been  threatened  of  God,  are  thus 
described: — 1.  “Death  spiritual;  that  is,  thou  shalt  become 
dead  to  God,  and  lose  the  favor  of  God.”  But  when 
teachers  of  the  visible  church  say,  that  man  died  spiritually , 
on  the  day  on  which  he  sinned,  they  forget,  or  have  not  known, 
that  man  was  not  spiritual  at,  and  by,  his  creation.  This  is 
taught  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  Paul.  (1  Cor.  15  :  46.)  Man 
was  innocent  and  “very  good,”  but  was  not  spiritual;  he 
became  morally  dead,  (nekros)  or  in  other  words,  he  became 
in  moral  condition  a  sinner.  But  it  would  not  be  necessary 
that  God  should  inform  the  man,  that  when  he  sinned,  he 
would  be  a  sinner ;  and  it  was  not  possible  that  God  should 
threaten  him,  that  He,  the  Holy  God,  would  inflict  sin  upon 
him  as  a  part  of  his  punishment.  2.  “  Death  temporal ;  that 
is,  on  some  future  day  thy  body  shall  die — thy  soul  shall  be 
separated  from  thy  body,  and  so  thy  body  shall  die.”  But 
according  to  this,  the  man  was  not  to  die  at  all ,  and  death 
is  represented  as  being  only  a  change  in  the  mode  of  the 
human  existence.  The  man  was  still  to  lice ,  though  his 
mode  of  existence  was  changed.  3.  “  Death  eternal ;  that  is, 
thou  shalt  live  forever  in  ceaseless,  endless  agonies,  that  cannot 
be  expressed ;  but  which  thou  shalt  forever  feel — thou  shalt 
die  a  never-dying  death,  shalt  be  continually,  always  and 
forever  dying ;  but  thou  shalt  live  forever  in  the  article  and 
agonies  of  death,  with  the  unabated  vigor  of  immortal  life  ; 
for  thou  shalt  never  die  at  all.” 

Now  it  must  be  perceived,  that  solecism  and  self-contradic¬ 
tion  cannot  exceed  what  is  here  exposed,  and  which  is  often 
found  in  the  literature,  and  even  in  the  psalmody  of  the  visible 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


1  Q  K 

i  oo 

church.  11  God  is  his  own  interpreter,  and  Tie  will  make  it 
plain.”  In  the  sentence  pronounced,  the  force  of  the  premo¬ 
nition  is  clearly  and  fully  shown  : — “  In  the  sweat  of  thy  face 
shalt  thou  eat  bread,  till  thou  shalt  return  into  the  earth  ; 
for  out  of  it  wast  thou  taken  ;  for  dust  thou  art,  and  unto 
dust  shalt  thou  return.”  u  The  first  man  is  out  of  the  earth,” 
and  the  final  destiny  of  man — as  man  and  a  sinner — is  to 
return*  into  the  earth,  and  to  become,  as  though  he  had  not 
been.  (Obad  16.) 

The  destiny  of  man,  as  denounced  of  God  in  the  Garden  of 
Eden,  is  continuously  shown  in  the  concurrent  teaching  of 
the  inspired  Book.  We  have  examined  the  eight  passages, 
which  are  adduced  to  sustain  the  doctrine  of  everlasting  life, 
in  ceaseless  agonies ;  and  have  shown  how  thoughtlessly  and 
evilly  they  are  misconstrued.  And  we  could  quote  eight 
hundred  passages,  in  which  the  mortality  of  man,  and  the 
infliction  of  a  proper  death,  on  man,  as  the  just  judgment  of 
God,  are  either  expressed  in  words,  or  are  expressly  recog¬ 
nized  in  various  ways.  A  few  selections  will  suffice. 

It  has  been  noticed  by  others,  that  in  the  legislation  and 
administration  of  Moses,  there  is  no  reference  made  to  a 
future,  much  less  an  immortal  state,  in  the  history  of  man. 
In  the  penal  language  of  Moses,  the  transgressor  is  spoken 
of  thus  :  “  That  soul  shall  be  cut  off” — “shall  be  cut  off  from 
Israel and  God  says — concerning  him  who  would  despise 
the  Messiah  when  he  came — “  I  will  require  it  of  him  and 
this  the  Holy  Spirit  in  Peter,  explains  thus  :  11  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  that  every  soul,  who  will  not  hear  that  Prophet, 
shall  be  destroyed  from  among  the  people.”  (Acts  3  :  23.) 

The  common  sayings  of  the  Hebrews,  are  those  of  a  people 
who  knew  the  truth  of  man’s  mortality ,  and  of  the  revealed 
destiny  of  man,  as  a  sinner  against  God.  This  is  shown  in 
such  instances  as  the  words  of  Abigail  to  David,  (1  Sam.  24: 


*  Notice  Ps.  90:  3-6. 


136 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


29,)  and  in  the  words  of  the  wise  woman  of  Tekoah.  (2 
Sam.  14  :  14.)  And  in  the  Book  of  Job,  it  is  shown  that 
other  ancient  and  oriental  people  expressed  the  same  ideas, 
in  very  expressive  forms. 

In  the  inspired  poetry  of  the  Hebrews,  the  mortality  and 
vanity  of  man,  and  the  destructive  penalty  of  sin,  are  promi¬ 
nent  elements,  and  denunciatory  themes  : — “  The  wicked  shall 
perish  and  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  shall  be  as  the  fat  of 
lambs  :  they  shall  consume ;  into  smoke  shall  they  consume 
away.”  (Ps.  31:  20.)  “  A  brutish  man  knoweth  not; 

neither  doth  the  fool  understand  this  :  When  the  wicked 
spring  as  the  grass,  and  when  all  the  workers  of  iniquity  do 
flourish,  it  is  that  they  shall  be  destroyed  forever.  But, 
thou  Jehovah  most  high,  art  forever  more.”  (Ps.  92  :  1,  8.) 
And  in  contrast  with  the  destruction  of  the  wicked,  the 
psalmist  praises  God,  saying,  “  For  thou  hast  delivered  my 
soul  from  death  ;”  (Ps.  56  :  13,)  and  again,  “Bless  the  Lord, 
O  my  soul — who  redeemeth  thy  life  from  destruction  ;  who 
crowneth  thee  with  loving  kindness;”  (Ps.  103:  4,)  and 
again,  “For  with  thee  is  the  fountain  of  life.”  (Ps.  36  :  9,) 
“  There  is  but  a  moment  in  his  anger:  in  his  favor  is  life.” 
(Ps.  30  :  5.)  The  sacred  songs  of  the  Temple  service,  were 
the  expressions  of  sacred  and  solemn  truths,  concerning  man, 
as  man  ;  and  were  distinctive  and  animating  strains  concern¬ 
ing  “the  ransomed  of  the  Lord.”  But  the  popular  songs 
and  psalmody  of  Christendom  are  in  striking  and  convicting 
contrast  with  the  poetry  inspired  of  God,  and  sung  to  the 
music  of  David’s  harp,  and  afterwards  in  the  Temple  which 
Solomon  had  reared.  We  speak  in  reference  to  the  subject, 
now  more  immediately  in  view. 

The  proverbial  philosophy  of  the  Hebrews  abounds  in 
aphorisms,  founded  on  the  mortality  of  man,  and  on  the 
utter  death  which  is  the  moral  and  legal  desert,  and  the 
revealed  destiny  of  man,  as  a  sinful  creature.  And  in  one 
passage,  there  is  a  formal  declaration,  that  there  shall  be  no 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


137 


future  existence  to  the  evil.  In  the  passage  to  which  we 
refer,  the  word  ah-ciiareeth  is  translated  “reward.”  (Prov. 
24  :  20.)  But  it  did  not  require  the  wisdom  of  Solomon,  to 
show  that  there  shall  be  no  reward  for  the  ungodly  man, 
who  dies  in  his  sins.  And  besides,  “the  doctrine  of  rewards,” 
in  Holy  Scripture,  relates  only  to  the  saints  of  the  Lord. 
Salvation,  eternal  life,  immortality,  heaven  and  eternal  glory 
are  not  rewards  of  merit,  but  are  gifts  of  grace.  But  to  the 
faithful,  and  devoted,  and  the  maligned  and  persecuted,  saints 

and  servants  of  the  Lord,  rewards  of  grace,  superadded  to 

**> 

salvation,  are  both  promised  and  insured.  But  the  ecclesias¬ 
tical  and  popular  “  doctrine  of  rewards  and  punishments,”  is 
heathenish  in  its  modes  of  conception,  and  is  a  most  evil 
denial  of  the  grace,  and  of  the  justice  of  God,  as  declared  in 
his  own  word. 

It  is  admitted  by  ecclesiastical  teachers,  that  the  word, 
ah-ciiareeth  does  not  mean,  a  “  reward ;”  and  its  true 
meaning  and  usage  are  admitted  to  be  what  they  really  are  : 
but  it  is  said,  “  But  man  is  an  immortal  being,  and  so  it 
cannot  mean  in  this  passage,  what  it  means  everywhere  else.” 
And  so,  according  to  this,  because  that  platonic  expositors 
have  foisted  the  false  doctrine  of  the  inherent  immortality  of 
man,  into  their  expositions,  therefore  Solomon,  to  whom 
great  wisdom  was  given  of  God,  was  not  sufficiently  wise  to 
use,  in  this  instance,  a  proper  Hebrew  word,  but  has  allowed 
us  to  conclude,  that  instead  of  uttering  the  words  of  wisdom, 
he  has  made  a  very  unwise  remark.  That  is,  in  the  plenitude 
of  his  wisdom,  he  meant  to  inform  us,  that  the  just  and  Holy 
God  does  not  intend  to  reward  ungodliness ,  with  the  bless¬ 
ings  of  his  approbation,  in  the  beatitude  and  glory  of  heaven, 
and  within  the  radiance  of  his  throne.  Such  expositors 
should  next  undertake,  to  paint  the  diamond  with  brilliancy, 
and  to  gild  with  glory,  the  meridian  sun  ! 

The  word  ah-char,  in  its  several  grammatic  relations, 
means  after  and  the  adjective,  ah-ciier,  means  another ; 

12* 


138 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


and  ah-chor,  means  behind ;  and  tlie  adjective,  ah-charohn, 
means  hinder ,  and  latter ,  and  last ,  or  that  which  is,  and  shall 
be,  after  all  the  historic  things  in  view,  shall  have  passed 
away  ;  and  ah-chareeth,  the  word  used  by  Solomon,  means 
hereafter,  and  those  who  shall  be  hereafter ;  and,  also, 
consummation  in  a  future  state. 

Such  is  the  ideal  and  grammatical  meaning  of  these  words 
and  their  established  usage  in  the  Hebrew  text ;  and  taken 
together,  they  are  used  about  twelve  hundred  times. 

In  his  proverbial  philosophy,  Solomon  uses  the  word,  ae- 
ciiareeth,  thus  :  “  My  son,  eat  thou  honey,  because  it  is 
good ;  and  the  honey  comb,  which  is  sweet  to  the  taste  :  so 
shall  the  knowledge  of  wisdom  be  unto  thy  soul  ;  when  thou 
hast  found  it,  then  there  shall  be  a  hereafter — a  future  state, 
and  consummation  in  a  future  state — and  thy  expectation 
(literally,  thy  line*  thy  thread  of  existence)  shall  not  be  cut 
off.”  And,  in  contrast  with  this,  he  says,  “  Fret  not  thyself 
because  of  evil  men  ;  neither  be  thou  envious  of  the  wicked  ; 
for  there  shall  be  no  hereafter — no  future  state — to  the  evil 
man  ;  the  lamp  of  the  wicked  shall  be  put  out.”  And  the 
wise  man  has  expresssd  the  same  truth  in  another  form,  saying, 
“  The  expectation*  (literally  the  line,  the  thread  of  exist¬ 
ence)  of  the  wicked  shall  perish.”  (Prov.  10:  28.) 

The  denunciations  of  the  prophets,  abound  with  significant 
figures,  and  dramatic  representations,  and  literal  statements — 
all  being  expressive,  and  highly  expressive  of  the  legal  and 
moral  desert  of  man,  and  the  revealed  penalty  of  sin.  We 
will  merely  indicate  a  few  denunciations  on  the  world,  which 
are  expressed  in  plain  words.  For  instance :  Isaiah — 
personating  Israel,  when  they  have  become  a  saved  nation, 
and  they  speaking  anticipatively  of  the  destruction  of  the 


*  The  original  word  is  tik-vah,  a  thread  or  line  ;  yarn  spun  to  a 
length;  a  measuring  line  stretched  out;  from  kaii-vah,  to  stretch; 
stretched  out ;  and  also  to  wait,  and  remain. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


139 


wicked,  who  once  tyrannized  over  them — says,  “  They  are 
dead,  they  shall  not  live ;  they  are  deceased,  they  shall  not 
rise ;  (there  shall  be  no  resurrection  from  “  the  second 
death  ”)  therefore  hast  thou  visited  and  destroyed  them,  and 
made  all  their  memory  to  perish.”  (Isa.  26:  14.)  Jeremiah, 
when  denouncing  the  Babylonian  sinners,  in  the  name  of 
Jehovah,  and  declaring  their  final  doom,  testifies,  thus  : 
“  And  they  shall  sleep  a  perpetual  (“goh-lahm,  an  eternal ) 
sleep,  and  not  wake,  saith  the  King,  whose  name  is  Jehovah 
of  hostsv”  (Jer.  51  :  39,  57.)  And  Obadiah  testifies,  con¬ 
cerning  ungodly  men,  that  “  they  shall  be  as  though  they  had 
not  been.”  (Obad.  16.)  And  Paul  when  preaching  in  the 
Synagogue,  at  Antioch  in  Pisidia,  sums  up  the  denunciatory 
testimony  of  the  prophets,  in  these  words  :  “  Behold,  yc 
despisers,  and  wonder,  and  perish.”  Acts  13  :  41. 

The  apostles  were  “  ambassadors  for  Christ  ” — “  the  min¬ 
isters  of  Christ,  and  stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  God.” 

Paul,  testifying  of  the  doom  of  the  ungodly,  says  of  them  : 
“  Who  shall  be  punished  with  eternal  destruction  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power.” 
(2  Thess.  1  :  9.)  The  manner  in  which  the  intent  and  force 
of  this  testimony  is  sought  to  be  set  aside,  is  as  unreasonable 
as  it  is  contrary  to  the  concurrent  teachings  of  the  inspired 
Book.  The  passage  is  said  to  denounce  “an  eternal  banish¬ 
ment  from  the  presence  of  the  Loyd.”  But  in  this  evil  gloss, 
there  is  both  a  disregard  to  the  idiomatic  usage  of  Holy 
Scripture,  and  a  denial  of  the  actual  and  moral  position  of 
ungodly  men.  In  the  usage  of  the  Bible,  particularly  in  the 
history  of  Israel,  all  blessing,  and  all  judgment,  is  said  to 
come  from  the  Lord,  and  “from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.” 
This  usage  may  be  said  to  have  commenced  when  the  taber¬ 
nacle  had  been  reared  in  the  wilderness,  and  Jehovah  was 
made  known,  as  dwelling  in  the  most  holy  place,  within  the 
veil,  “  between  the  cherubim.”  And  the  first  instance  relates 
to  the  destruction  of  the  lives  of  Nadab  and  Abihu,  the  sons 


140 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


of  Aaron,  who  had  offered  “strange  fire  ”  before  .Jehovah 
“  And  there  went  out  a  fire  from  Jehovah,  and  devoured 
them  ;  and  they  died  before — in  the  presence  of — Jehovah,” 
(Levit.  10  :  1,  2.)  Concerning  the  rebellious  man  in  Israel, 
it  was  said,  “  That  soul  shall  be  cut  off  from  my  presence  : 
I  am  Jehovah.”  (Levit.  22  :  3.)  And  David  when  antici¬ 
pating.  the.  glorious  parousia,  the  majestic  and  manifested 
presence  of  the  Lord,  of  which  Paul  is  testifying,  says  “  Our 
God  shall  come,  and  shall  not  keep  silence  ;  a  fire  shall 
devour  before  him ,  and  it  shall  be  very  tempestuous  round 
about  him,”  (Ps.  50  :  3.) 

The  blessings  of  divine  goodness  and  grace  are  also  spoken 
of  as  coming  11  from  the  presence  of  the  LordL  Hence 
Peter,  when  preaching  Jesus,  to  the  Jews,  after  having  testi¬ 
fied  of  their  recent  rejection  of  him,  he  exhorts  them  saying, 
“  Repent  ye  therefore  unto  the  blotting  out  of  your  sins  ;  and 
that  the  times  of  refreshing  may  come  from  the  presence  of 
the  Lord.”  Acts  3  :  19-21. 

This  established  usage  ought  to  suffice  to  show  the  true 
meaning  of  Paul,  when  he  says  of  ungodly  men,  “  Who  shall 
be  punished  with  eternal  destruction,  from  the  presence  of 
the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power.’”  Besides, — what 
is  said  about  “  banishment  from  the  presence  of  God,”  is  not 
only  unscriptural,  but  is  unreasonable  also.  Man  as  a  sinner 
is  not  in  moral  nearness  to  God,  and  has  not  been  since  the 
moment  when  the  first  man  first  sinned ;  from  that  moment, 
man  as  man,  has  been  morally,  out  of  the  presence  of  God, 
and  far  from  God.  But  physically  and  locally,  man  never 
can  be  out  of  the  presence  of  God,  while  he  has  an  existence 
in  the  universe  of  God  :  “  If  I  ascend  up  into  heaven,  thou 
art  there  :  if  I  make  my  bed  in  hell,  behold  thou  art  there.” 
Man  cannot  be  banished  from  the  personal  presence  of  God, 
in  any  other  way,  than  by  being  really  and  utterly  destroyed. 
And  as  the  presence  of  God  pervades  the  universe ;  though 
heaven  is  his  throne,  the  immensity  of  space  is  his  dwelling  : 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


141 


and  the  psalmist  David  has  testified  that  God  cannot  tolerate 
the  abiding  presence  of  evil  in  his  universe,  or  within  his  uni¬ 
versal  presence  :  “  For  thou  art  not  a  God,  that  hath  pleasure 
in  wickedness ;  neither  shall  evil  dwell  with  thee.”  But,  if  the 
ecclesiastical  teaching  on  this  subject,  were  not  utterly  false, 
it  would  follow,  that  God  must  have  pleasure  in  wickedness, 
or  he  would  not  keep  wicked  men  in  existence  for  ever ;  for 
no  other  purpose,  and  to  no  other  end,  than  that  they  should 
do  wickedly,  and  that  he  should  torture  them  for  so  doing  ; 
and  thus  find  eternal  employment  in  the  gratification  of  an 
insatiable  detestation  and  wrath. 

But  there  is  yet  another  way  in  which  the  destructive  edge 
of  Paul’s  testimony  i^  sought  to  be  destroyed  : — It  is  said 
that,  “Paul  does  not  speak  of  the  destruction*  of  personal 
being ,  but  of  personal  well-being .”  This  is  the  extreme  of 
perversion.  Has  man — considered  as  man,  and  as  a  sinner — • 

*  In  this  way  it  is  admitted,  that  “  destruction,”  means  destruction  : 
but  it  is  commonly  asserted,  that  “death,”  means  misery,  and  “des¬ 
truction,”  means  misery,  and  to  “  perish,”  means  to  be  made  miserable; 
and  in  this  way,  it  is  (though  not  intentionally)  made  to  appear,  that 
the  Divine  Author  of  inspiration,  was  very  deficient  and  unwise,  in 
the  selection  of  penal  and  denunciatory  terms ;  and  must  needs  be 
corrected  by  learned  teachers  of  the  visible  church.  But,  even  they, 
themselves,  use  those  words,  in  their  grammatical  and  proper  meaning, 
at  all  times  when  they  are  not  referring  to  the  penalty  of  sin,  and  the 
final  doom  of  sinners.  And  the  most  keen  and  biting  sarcasm  has  been 
— unintentionally — inserted  in  the  acknowledged  Standards  of  the 
English  language  ;  in  which,  after  the  grammatical  and  true  meaning 
of  all  such  terms  as  the  above,  has  been  given,  it  is  added,  that  in  the 
theological  or  ecclesiastical  meaning  of  such  terms,  they  mean  so  and 
so  ;  that  is  they  mean  just  the  reverse.  But,  suppose  we  test  the 
ecclesiastical  use,  thus  :  “  The  last  enemy,  death,  shall  be  destroyed  :” 
then,  all  the  other  enemies  had  been  destroyed  before  the  destruction 
of  death:  but — say  certain  teachers  of  the  visible  church — to  be  des¬ 
troyed,  means  to  be  made  miserable  ;  and  so,  the  last  enemy,  death,  is  to 
be  made  miserable  :  and  as,  ecclesiastically,  the  word  “  death  ”  means 
misery;  even  so,  the  last  enemy,  misery,  shall  be  made  miserable,” 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


142 

has  he  ever  been  in  a  state  of  well-being  since  the  first  man, 
first  sinned  ?  Is  man,  who  is  in  a  state  of  enmity  to  God,  and 
is  a  child  of  wrath — who  is  a  vassal  of  Satan,  a  slave  of  sin, 
and  a  victim  of  death — is  he  in  a  state  of  well-being  now1} 
And  can  that  be  destroyed,  which  has  no  existence  at  all  ? 

Peter  also,  testifying  of  the  evil  ways,  and  the  eternal 
destiny  of  ungodly  men,  in  the  visible  church,  says  of  them, 
“But  these,  as  natural  brute  beasts,  made  to  be  taken  and 
destroyed,  speak  evil  of  the  things  that  they  understand  not ; 
and  shall  utterly  perish  in  their  own  corruption.”  (2  Pet.  2 : 
12.)  And  John  testifies,  saying,  “For  this  purpose  the  Son 
of  God  was  manifested,  that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of 
the  devil.”  (1  Jno.  3:  8.)  But  the' works  of  the  devil  are 
sin,  suffering,  and  death  ;  and  the  works  of  the  devil  cannot 
ever  be  destroyed,  while  wicked  men,  and  the  devil  and  his 
angels  exist.  And  in  ecclesiastical  teaching,  it  is  asserted 
and  maintained,  that  the  works  of  the  devil  are  never,  never 
to  be  destroyed,  but  are  to  be  conserved  by  means  of  the 
very  fire  of  hell,  and  enshrined  for  ever  in  a  glowing  temple 
of  tormenting  flame.  It  is  marvelous  that  men  are  not  afraid, 
thus  to  reply  against  God  ! 

The  Lord  Jesus  has  spoken  words  that  ought  to  sink  down 
into  the  heart  of  every  one,  who  professedly  bears  his  name. 
He  said  to  his  disciples — and  through  them  to  “  all  who  pro¬ 
fess  and  call  themselves  Christians  ” — “  And  fear  not  them 
who  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul :  but  rather 
fear  him  who  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in 
Gehenna.”  (Matth.  10  :  28.)  But  the  force  of  these  admoni¬ 
tory  and  awful  words,  is  rendered  nugatory,  in  as  far  as  an 
experimental  effect  is  concerned  ;  for  ecclesiastical  leaders 
teach,  that  “  God  is  not  able  to  destroy  the  soul  of  man.” 
They  admit,  that  as  a  question  of  physical  power  or  omnipo¬ 
tence,  and,  abstractedly  speaking,  it  may  be  said,  that  God  is 
able  to  destroy  the  soul :  and  in  this  way,  they — or  very  many 
of  them  at  least — are  involved  in  the  admission,  that  God 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


143 


can  destroy  myriads  of  portions  of  his  own  immortal  life  ; 
for,  they  teach,  that  “  the  soul  of  every  man  is  a  portion 
of  the  life  of  the  Lord  God.”  But  the  admission,  that, 
abstractedly  speaking,  God  is  able  to  destroy  these  myriads  of 
myriads  of  portions  of  his  own  immortal  life,  is  not  more 
self-contradictory  than  is  their  doctrine,  that  these  same  in¬ 
numerable  myriads  of  portions  of  the  life  of  God,  have,  from 
the  dawn  of  reason  at  least,  a  heart  and  mind  which  is  enmity 
to  God ;  and  that,  to  all  eternity,  God  intends  to  hate  and  to 
torture  these  innumerable  parts  of  his  own  immortal  life. 

Ecclesiastical  teachers  admit,  that,  abstractedly  speaking, 
God  is  able  to  destroy  the  soul  in  Gehenna ;  but  they  main¬ 
tain,  that,  morally  speaking,  God  is  not  able  to  destroy  the 
soul.* *  They  teach  and  maintain,  that  by  reason  of  his  own 
essential  attributes,  and  of  the  eternal  principles  of  his  moral 
government,  and  of  his  own  express  Revelation,  God  is  not 
able  to  destroy  the  soul — that  the  destruction  of  the  soul  is 
a  moral  and  eternal  impossibility  with  God.  And  in  this 
way,  they  represent  the  weighty  and  awful  words  of  the  Lord, 


*  Ecclesiastical  teachers  have  also,  another  way  of  undertaking  to 
show  that  the  soul  of  man  cannot  be  destroyed:  They  say,  that  “if  the 
soul  were  destroyed  it  would  be  annihilated,  and,  that  not  any  thing  that 
God  has  created  is  annihilated ;  and,  that  God  has  made  it  manifest  in 
his  works,  that  he  does  not  intend  to  annihilate  any  thing  that  he  has 
made.”  But  “the  body”  will  be  destroyed.  They  admit  that  “this 
body,”  at  least,  can  be  destroyed;  yet  it  is  not  annihilated — not  one  atom 
of  which  it  is  composed,  is  annihilated.  But,  they  say,  “the  soul  is  a 
simple  substance,  and  so,  it  cannot  be  destroyed  without  being  annihi¬ 
lated.”  Granted,  that  the  soul  is  a  simple  substance — a  simple  immaterial 
substance — but,  the  soul  is  a  real  entity,  a  real  and  constituted  personal 
being;  and  as  a  real  substance,  it  has  personal  properties  and  powers, 

*  of  which  it  may  be  judicially  deprived :  and  these  personal  attributes 
may  be  destroyed,  without  involving  any  annihilation  of  the  simple  sub¬ 
stance  of  the  soul.  But,  if  the  soul  be  deprived  of  its  personal  attri¬ 
butes,  it  is  then,  as  a  personal  soul ,  destroyed;  even,  as,  by  a  corres¬ 
ponding  process,  the  body  is  destroyed.  Destruction  is  not  annihilation. 


144 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


to  be  no  more  than  light  and  airy  words,  having  no  basis  in 
truth  and  in  fact ;  and  intended  only  to  produce  a  salutary 
alarm,  by  means  of  a  “pious  fraud.”  This  was  Origen’s 
expressed  opinion  of  all  those  Scriptures  that  declare  “  eternal 
judgment” — “eternal  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord  ;”  for  Origen  was  a  “  Restorationist,”  and  may  be  called 
the  Father  of  “  Universalism,”  which  was  a  part  of  his  theory 
concerning  the  immortality  of  man. 

God  “is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell.” 
And  the  Lord  Jesus  has  spoken  other  weighty,  and  awful 
words  to  the  same  effect.  He  has  put  them  in  the  form  of  a 
question,  and  has  asked,  “  What  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall 
gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  or  what  shall 
a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?  (Matth.  16  :  26.)  And 
in  order  that  every  one  should  be  without  excuse,  who  might 
seek  to  wrest  his  words  from  their  true  meaning  and  intent, 
the  phraseology  of  his  momentous  teaching  is  varied,  in  the 
record  of  Luke,  9  :  25,  “  For  what  is  a  man  advantaged,  if  he 
gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  himself,  or  be  cast  away  ?” 
The  intent  and  meaning  of  the  Lord  is  thus  placed  beyond 
the  reach  of  a  justifiable  question,  when  he  speaks  of  a  man, 
as  losing  “his  own  soul.”  The  man’s  own  soul  is  the  man’s 
personal  self — “himself”  is  “his  own  soul:”  and  the 
words  here  rendered  “lose  himself,”  are  eauton  de  apolesas 
— destroy  himself  \  and  the  phrase  rendered  “or  be  cast  away,” 
is  ee  zeemiotheis,  from  zeemia*  damage,  loss ;  and  this  from 
zeemioo  ;  and  being  a  passive  verb,  it  means,  to  be  deprived, 
to  be  punished  with  loss — to  be  punished  with  the  loss  of 
himself,  of  “ms  own  soul.” 

But  in  the  teaching  of  the  visible  church,  it  is  roundly 
asserted,  and  persistently  affirmed,  that  “a  man  never  can 
possibly  lose  his  own  soul”  Yet  the  weighty  and  awful 


*  The  word  translated  “lose”  in  Matth.  16:  26,  is  zeemiothee,  from 
the  same  radical  word,  and  having  the  same  radical  meaning  and  intent. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


145 


words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  are  frequently  taken,  as  a  motto,  on 
which,  apparently ,  to  hang  a  discourse.  The  kind  of  dis¬ 
course,  which,  is  made  to  seem  to  hang  on  these  awful  words, 
is  in  part  derived  from  the  platonic  philosophy,  and  in  part 
from  the  tartarian  mythology.  This  two-fold  doctrine  is 
described,  first,  as  that  of  “  the  worth  of  the  soul,  by  reason 
of  its  essential  immortality,  and  therefore  its  eternal,  conscious 
existence  in  the  universe  of  God  and  secondly,  as  the 
“  eternal  torment  of  the  soul,  if  the  man  should  ever  find 
himself  in  hell. And  in  this  way,  it  is  most  broadly  and 
systematically  denied,  that  any  man  ever  can  “lose  his  own 
soil”  The  manner  in  which  the  meaning  and  intent  of  the 
words  of  the  Lord  Jesus  are  explained  away,  must  cause  every 
one  who  understands  and  reveres  the  teaching  of  the  Lord, 
and  trembles  at  his  word,  to  feel  sad  and  sorrowful  indeed. 
The,  so  called,  “  loss  of  the  soul,”  according  to  ecclesiastical 
teaching,  is  said  to  be  “  the  loss  of  the  favor  of  God” — and 
“the  loss  of  heaven.”  Ecclesiastical  teachers  are  well  aware 
that  the  subject  of  the  text  is  loss,  entire  and  eternal  loss. 
But  they  have  decided,  that  this  actual,  entire  and  eternal  loss, 
cannot  possibly  be  the  loss,  by  a  man,  of  his  own  soul  :  and 
they  would  fain  have  us  believe,  that  He  in  whom  the  favor 
of  God,  with  “  all  the  fullness  of  the  Godhead  dwelleth  bodily” 
— that  He  knew  not  how  to  speak  correctly  of  “  the  favor  of 
God,”  but  must  needs  call  it  a  man’s  “  own  soul.”  They 
would  have  us  believe,  that  He  who  came  down  from  heaven 
did  not  know  how  to  speak  of  heaven — not  even  how  to  give 
it  a  proper  name  ;  but  from  sheer  inability,  must  needs  call  it 
a  man’s  “  own  soul.”  In  this  process  for  rendering  nugatory 
the  words  of  the  Lord,  it  seems  to  be  assumed,  that  man  at 
present,  stands  in  the  favor  of  God,  and  is  in  the  possession 
of  the  same,  and  that  he  has  now  a  title  to  heaven,  though  he 
be  not  in  actual  possession  of  that  blessed  place  :  for  even  in 
the  advocacy  of  such  strange  doctrine,  it  is  not  asserted  that, 
a  man  can,  literally  and  judicially  lose,  that  which  he  has 

13 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


146 

not  in  possession,  and  which  he  has  not  even  an  ostensible 
right  or  title,  to  have  and  to  hold.* 

But  a  man  has  a  soul,  a  real,  conscious  entity,  which  is 
“  himself  ” — “  his  own  soul  :”  and  if  he  lose  his  soul,  he 
will  lose  it  entirely  and  forever — never  more  to  be  found  at 
all.  “  What”  then,  “  is  a  man  profited  if  he  shall  gain  the 
whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  or  what  shall  a  man  give 
in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?”  These  are  weightly  words,  full  of 
awful  meaning;  and  they  give  g4'eat  force  to  the  exhortation  : 
“  Love  not  the  world,  neither  the  things  that  are  in  the  world. 
If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in 
him.  For  all  that  is  in  the  world — the  lust  of  the  flesh  and 
the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of  the  Father, 
but  is  of  the  world.  And  the  world  passeth  away,  and  the 
lust  thereof :  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  God  abideth 
eorever.”  (1  Jno.  2:  15-17. ) 

Through  the  manifold  teaching  of  the  inspired  Book,  we 
have  shown  God’s  estimate  of  man,  the  moral  and  legal  desert 
of  sin,  and  the  revealed  destiny  of  man,  as  man  and  a  sinner 
against  God.  But  while  the  common  destiny  of  the  ungodly 
is  “  death,”  even  “  the  second  death  while  the  revealed  and 
final  penalty  of  sin  is  “  eternal  judgment” — a  proper  and  an 
eternal  death — it  must  be  shown,  that  God  has  a  principle  of 

*  The  Jews  are  spoken  of  as  “  the  children  of  the  kingdom and  as 
being  “cast  out,”  by  reason  of  their  unbelief,  and  their  rejection  of 
Christ ;  but  they  were  the  ostensible  heirs  of  the  kingdom,  in  that  they 
were  the  lineal  descendants  of  Abraham.  And  false  Christians — hypo* 
crites — are  ostensible  heirs  of  the  celestial  kingdom ;  and  they  are  des¬ 
cribed  in  Matth.  25 :  46,  as  cut  off  from  the  flock  of  Christ,  and  from 
all  hope  of,  and  all  pretence  to,  the  kingdom  prepared  from  the  founda¬ 
tion  of  the  world.  But  a  man  cannot  possibly  lose — by  an  actual  and 
judicial  deprivation — that  which  he  has  not  at  any  time  possessed,  and 
to  which,  he  never  had  even  any  seeming  right  or  title  whatever.  But, 
man  who  is  a  sinner,  has  not  even  a  presumptive  title  to  the  favor  of 
Cod,  and  is  not  even  an  “  heir  presumptive ”  of  heaven. 


WET  AT  IS  MAN  ? 


147 


r 

righteousness,  on  which  to  proceed  against  different  classes  of 
sinful  men  : — 

“As  many  as  have  sinned  without  law,  shall  also  perish 
without  law.”  This  concise  declaration  includes  the  myriads 
of  mankind — the  world  before  the  flood,  and  the  world,  as  the 
world,  ever  since  the  days  of  the  flood.  “  There  shall  be  a 
resurrection,  both  of  the  just  and  of  the  unjust.”  But,  for 
the  countless  myriads  of  the  human  race — to  whom  God  has 
not  given  law,  but  whom  he  has  suffered  “  to  walk  in  their  own 
ways,”  (Acts  14  :  16,)  and  who  are  distinctively  described  as 
being  “without  law,”  (Rom.  2  :  12 ;  1  Cor.  9:  21,) — for 
them,  there  shall  be  no  formal  process  of  law  at  all.  God  has 
not  placed  them  under  a  revealed  standard  of  obedience,  and 
so  there  is  no  formal  standard  of  procedure  against  them  : — 
they  “shall  perish  without  law.”  The  “indignation  and 
wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish”  mentioned  in  the  same 
chapter,  is  not  to  them  at  all.  But  they  shall  perish  :  for, 
though  “  without  law,”  they  are  sinners,  and  “  the  wages  of 
sin  is  death.” 

“  As  many  as  have  sinned  in  the  law,  shall  be  judged  by  the 
law.”  This  just  decision  includes  distinctively,  the  nation  of 
Israel,  from  the  hour  in  which  “the  law”  was  announced  from 
the  summit  of  Mount  Sinai — even  all  who  have  lived  and  died 
under  the  Mosaic  law,  as  a  legal  covenant — a  covenant  of 
works.  They  will  have  stood  under  a  revealed  standard  of 
obedience,  and  they  “  shall  be  judged  by  the  law.”  The  sanc¬ 
tions  of  that  divine  law  are  that  “The  man  which  doeth  these 
things,  shall  live  by  them;”  and  “Cursed  is  everyone  that 
continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of 
the  law  to  do  them.  ”  And  all  who  have  received  that  law, 
and  having  broken  it,  when  they  come  forth  to  be  judged,  they 
“  shall  be  judged  by  the  law.”  That  law  is  “holy,  just  and 
good,”  and  by  its  revealed  and  eternal  principles  of  holiness, 
justice  and  goodness  they  shall  be  judged. 

As  many  as  have  despised  and  rejected  the  Lord  Jesus,  the 


148 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God — as  many  as  saw,  and 
heard,  and  despised  him,  when  he  was  on  earth — shall  be 
judged  by  the  principles  enunciated  in  “  Moses  and  the  pro¬ 
phets,”  touching  the  promised  Messiah,  and  the  penalty  of 
despising  and  rejecting  him.  Even  as  God  has  said,  concern¬ 
ing  every  one  who  would  not  hear  “that  prophet.”  (Dent. 
18  :  15-19  ;  Acts  3  :  22,  23.)  And,  as  the  Lord  Jesus  him¬ 
self  declared,  saying,  “  Whosoever  shall  fall  on  this  stone  shall 
be  broken  :  but  on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall,  it  will  grind  him 
to  powder.”  (Matth.  21  :  42-44.) 

And,  as  many  as  have  heard  and  understood  “  the  Gospel 
of  the  Grace  of  God,”  and  have  despised  and  rejected  it — - 
whether  from  irreligious  indifference,  or  from  religious  legal¬ 
ism — as  many  as,  from  any  cause  have  intelligently  and 
deliberately  despised  and  rejected  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of 
God,  shall  be  judged  by  the  Gospel ;  as  the  Lord  has  said  : 
“  He  that  rejecteth  me,  and  receiveth  not  my  words,  hath  one 
that  judgeth  him  :  the  word  that  I  have  spoken,  the  same 
shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day.” 

All  who  have  falsely  professed  to  believe  in,  and  to  love, 
Christ — (and  the  variety  of  this  class  is  shown  to  be  great) — 
all  hypocrites ,  and  all  apostates,  will  be  judged  by  the 
revealed  standard  of  Christian  obedience,  and  of  responsibility 
to  “  Christ  the  Lord  ;”  that  is,  by  the  laws  of  Christ,  as 
recorded  in  Matth.  5  ch.,  6  ch.,  and  1  ch.  All  who  have 
falsely,  and  from  whatever  reason  or  motive — all  who  have 
falsely  professed  and  claimed  to  be  the  “servants”  or  minis¬ 
ters  of  Christ,  will  be  judged  by  the  revealed  standard  of 
ministerial  fidelity,  devotedness  and  responsibility  to  Him. 
(Matth.  25:  24-30;  1  Cor.  4:2;  Heb.  13:  L7.)  All  whose 
characteristic  description  is  symbolized  by  “the  chaff,”  and 
“the  tares,”  and  “the  goats” — all  such  shall  be  proceeded 
against  and  judged  according  to  those  awful  declarations, 
which  are  so  commonly  quoted,  and  as  commonly  miscon¬ 
strued  and  misapplied :  for,  it  is  to  such  as  answer  to  those 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


149 


figurative  descriptions,  that  the  said  passages  do  most  directly 
and  specifically  relate.  The  “indignation  and  wrath,  tribu¬ 
lation  and  anguish,”  foretold,  and  the  alarm  and  consternation, 
and  “the  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth,”  fore-described,  and 
the  terrible  words  of  “  The  King,” — “  Depart  from  me,  ye 
cursed,  into  the  eternal  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels:” — all  this  fearful  and  “fiery  indignation,”  is  made 
known  in  direct  and  specific  relation  to  the  desert  and  destiny 
of  the  false-hearted,  the  deceivers  and  deceived,  the  traitors 
and  deniers  of  the  Lord,  and  of  his  “  grace  and  truth,”  who 
are  found  in  “  the  kingdom  of  heaven”  or  have  obtained  a 
name  and  a  standing  among  the  confessors  and  followers  of 
“the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God.”  But  in  the  case 
and  experience  of  such,  the  discriminating  righteousness  of 
God  will  be  made  manifest,  even  as  it  is  shown  in  the  para¬ 
bolic  allusion  of  the  Lord  to  the  treatment  of  oriental  slaves. 
(Luke  12:  48.)  The  ignorant  will  not  suffer  as  will  the 
learned  ;  the  deceived  will  not  experience  the  anguish  of  the 
deceivers ;  those  who  have  been  betrayed  into  a  denial  of  the 
grace  and  truth  of  Christ,  will  not  be  inwardly  torn  by  the 
tribulation  of  those  by  whom  they  have  been  misled  and 
betrayed.  Each  one  will  suffer  in  the  process *  of  “  eternal 
judgment,”  in  exact  and  precise  proportion  to  his  intelligence, 
and  his  individual  criminality,  as  judged  by  the  testimony 
which  God  has  given  of  his  Son,  and  of  his  grace,  and  of  his 
will :  and  the  distinctive  sufferings  of  each  individual  will 
arise  from  himself.  God  will  indeed,  “  show  his  wrath,” 
and  will  reveal  it  clearly  to  the  souls  of  these  miserable 

*  It  should  be  thoughtfully  observed,  that  while  the  revealed  and 
common  “wages  of  sin  is  death,”  the  precursory  symptoms  (if  we  may 
so  speak)  of  “the  second  death,”  will  be  as  various  in  intensity  and 
degree,  as  is  the  guiltiness  of  individuals  before  God,  and  which  will 
then  be  known  and  felt,  in  the  presence  of  the  Omniscient  Judge.  It 
is  in  the  experimental  preliminaries  and  process  of  personal  destruction 
that  the  described  anguish  will  be  felt. 

13* 


150 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


sinners,  but  their  inward  apprehension,  and  experimental 
estimate  of  divine  wrath,  will  be  in  accordance  with  the  laws 
and  records  of  memory  and  of  conscience,  in  the  case  of  each  ; 
and  the  acuteness  and  the  extent  of  the  anguish  of  each  will 
be  determined  by  the  elements  and  the  extent  of  their  own 
inward  remorse.  And  each,  in  his  own  distinctive  degree, 
shall  prove,  that  in  the  laws  and  constitution  of  his  own 
personal  being,  and  in  the  governmental  principles  by  which 
he  is  judged,  a  just  provision  has  been  made,  for  the  full 
vindication  of  the  eternal  principles  of  divine  holiness  and 
righteousness  and  goodness  and  truth.  Each,  and  all,  shall 
know  and  feel  that  God  is  “just  and  right.” 

All  shall  feel  the  pulsations  of  precious  but  forfeited  life. 
In  the  hearts  of  all,  the  strong  and  irrepressible  love  of  life 
will  pulsate.  The  souls  of  all  will  still,  and  ardently,  thirst  for 
immortality.  But  in  the  destructive  destiny  of  all,  it  shall 
be  proved,  that  God  “  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body 
in  hell.”  “  For  the  wmges  of  sin  is  death,”  and  the  just  God 
has  decreed,  that  the  ungodly  “shall  be  destroyed  forever.” 

All  evil  shall  be  destroyed  — All  evil  beings  and  evil 
things  and  evil  principles  shall  perish.  All  moral  and  all 
physical  evil  shall  cease  and  be  no  more.  The  end  of  evil 
shall  surely  come,  And  at  “the  end,”  (1  Cor.  15:  24-28,) 
“  the  Christ  shall  deliver  up  the  sovereignty  to  God,  even 
the  Father.”  The  governmental  design  for  which  he  became 
the  Messiah,  the  King  of  Israel,  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth, 
will  then  have  been  realized.  The  eternal  purpose  of  God 
the  Father,  for  which  the  Son  became  “  the  second  mau” — 
and  for  which  the  Holy  Spirit  came  down  to  act  on  his  behalf 
— will  then  have  been  accomplished.  “  The  church  of  the 
first-born,  registered  in  heaven”  will  have  been  immortalized 
and  glorified,  a  thousand  years.  “  All  Israel”  will  then  have 
been  saved  ;  and  other  nations,  and  men  out  of  other  nations, 
will  then  have  been  saved,  with  Israel,  and  incorporated  with 
them,  in  Eternal  life — in  immortality.  For  Jesus,  the  second 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


151 


man,  the  Messiah,  “  must  reign,  till  he  hath”  consummated 
the  purposes  of  grace,  and  till  he  hath  “  put  all  enemies  under 
his  feet.  The  last  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death” 

We  are  taught  in  Holy  Scripture,  to  distinguish  between 
the  act  of  God  the  Father,  in  having  put  all  things  under  the 
Son,  as  having  become  man ;  and  the  procedure  of  the  Son 
in  putting,  and  in  having  put,  all  enemies  under  his  own  feet. 
The  Father  has  put  all  things  under  the  Son,  as  the  second 
man,  and  in  the  way  of  subjugation  to  him.  The  millennial 
administration  of  the  Son  will  be,  in  its  history  a  sovereignty 
of  the  restraint  of  evil ;  and  of  the  destruction  of  evil,  in  the 
end.  Every  enemy  shall  be  trodden  down  beneath  his  feet. 
Death  and  Hades,  shown  in  dramatic  representation  as  two 
persons,  are  cast  into  “  the  lake  of  fire,”  to  signify  their  final 
and  utter  end.  And  when  the  last  enemy  shall  have  been 
destroyed,  then  no  one  enemy  shall  remain.  The  Uni  verse 
of  God  shall  then  have  been  freed  and  purified  from  the 
presence  of  evil,  for  the  restricted  course  and  period  of  evil 
shall  have  passed  away,  as  a  dark,  but  brief  episode,  in  the 
history  of  the  permissive  and  governmental  will  of  God. 
The  millennial  administration  of  the  Lord  shall  have  passed  as 
a  “  day  and  then  shall  the  Son  return  to  the  Father  the 
delegated  power  and  dominion,  which  had  been  entrusted  to 
him,  as  man. 

The  first  man  Adam  had  the  lordship  of  the  earth  entrusted 
to  him,  and  ho  betrayed  his  trust,  by  delivering  up  to  Satan 
the  dominion,  with  which  the  Creator  had  invested  him. 
Hebuchadnezzer  had  imperial  domination  over  the  nations, 
entrusted  to  him  (Dan.  2  :  3T,  38,)  and  he  delivered  that 
over  to  Satan.  (Luke  4  :  6.)  But  “the  second  man”  came 
in  humiliation,  and  was  fully  proved,  and  was  found  faithful. 
He  magnified  the  Supremacy  of  God,  by  a  perfect  homage 
and  obedience ;  and  showed  himself  worthy  to  be  entrusted 
with  all  authority  and  power.  And  when  he  comes  again,  he 
will  assert  the  Supremacy  of  God — acting  still  in  his  Father’s 


152 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


name — by  restraining  the  evil  that  is  in  the  universe.  And 
in  the  end,  lie  will  vindicate  the  Supremacy  of  God,  by  the 
destruction  of  all  evil  beings,  and  all  evil  things ;  and  by  the 
consummation  of  all  good,  even  eternal  good.  And  then,  in 
the  view  of  the  conserved  universe,  he  will  voluntarily  and 
lovingly  take  the  place  of  subordination  to  the  Father,  at  the 
Head  of  the  Universe  ;  and  in  that  place  of  eternal  honor  and 
glory  his  church  shall  be  one  with  Him.  A  thousand  years 
before  that,  the  desire  of  his  heart,  once  expressed  to  the 
Father  from  the  earth,  shall  have  been  gratified;  (Jno.  Fl  : 
20-24,)  and  then,  by  the  all  possessing,  all  permeating 
presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  “  his  body,  the  church” — as 
the  bond  of  oneness  with  him,  the  Head,  and  with  the  Father 
in  him — the  glory  of  the  church  shall  have  been  consummated 
at  the  head  of  the  universe  and  the  desire  of  the  heart  of 
Jesus  shall  be  fully  and  forever  sufficed. 

The  Supremacy  of  God  shall  remain  unquestioned ,  forever. 
“  God  shall  be  all  in  all#”  The  eternal  Jubilee  of  the 
universe  shall  have  come,  and  shall  be  celebrated  with  due  and 
exalted  and  exultant  solemnities,  through  the  height  and 
depth  and  length  and  breadth  of  the  whole  creation  and 
empire  of  God.  Thanksgiving  and  the  voice  of  melody  and 
the  incense  of  praise  will  ascend  unceasingly  and  forever  to 
God  the  Father,  through  his  beloved  Son.  The  melodious 
anthems  of  the  angels  will  blend,  in  responsive  and  blessed 
harmony  with  the  more  melodious  anthems  of  the  sons  of  God. 
All  the  mind  and  hearI  of  the  universe  will  be  one. 
And  suns  and  systems  and  firmaments  will  roll  on,  exulting  in 
their  appointed  orbits  and  spheres,  while  the  immensity  of 
space  thrills  and  reverberates  with  the  triumphal  shout : — 
“  Halleluiah  !  Halleluiah  !  Halleluiah  !  The  Lord 
God  omnipotent  reigneth  !  Halleluiah!  Amen.”  The 
eternal  idea  of  the  Godhead  shall  then  have  been  realized 
and  embodied ;  and  the  response  from  the  eternal  throne 
will  be  : — “  It  is  done.” 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


153 


We  have  borne  testimony  to  the  truth,  and  have  counted 
the  cost;  and  have,  even,  already  learned,  in  measure,  the 
meaning  of  those  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  two  of  his  dis¬ 
ciples  :  “You  shall  indeed  drink  of  my  cup.”  We  have  drank 
a  portion  of  “the  wormwood  and  the  gall,”  and  may  yet  have 
to  drink  still  deeper  draughts,  than  have  hitherto  been  re¬ 
ceived,  into  our  heart  and  soul.  But,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
we  have  borne  witness  to  the  truth,  and  now  willingly  leave 
the  rest  to  Him  who  has  declared  that  his  word  shall  not  re¬ 
turn  to  Him  void,  saying,  “  It  shall  accomplish  that  which 

I  PLEASE,  AND  SHALL  PROSPER  IN  THE  THING  WHERETO  I 

have  sent  it.”  And  our  heart’s  desire  and  prayer  to  God, 
for  all  true  Christians,  is,  that  the  Lord  may  open  “their 
understanding,  that  they  might  understand  the  Scriptures,” 
and  that  they  might,  with  spiritual  intelligence,  honor  God  in 
their  hearts,  and  say — without  a  reserved  question  or  thought 
. — “  He  is  the  Rock :  His  work  is  perfect :  a  God  of  truth, 
and  without  iniquity,  just  and  right  is  He.”  And  may  they — 
in  this  way,  and  in  all  other  ways  of  grace — realize  those  mer¬ 
ciful  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus:  “You  shall  know  the  truth, 
and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free.” 

To  all  the  children  of  God,  who  are  scattered  abroad,  we 
now  say,  “  This  is  the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us 
eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son.  He  that  hath  the  Son 
hath  life  ; — he  that  hath  not  the  Son  of  God,  hath  not  life.” 
(I  Jno.  5:  11,  12.)  “Christ  is  our  life.”  Paul  was  “an 
apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  will  of  God,  according  to  the 
promise  oe  life  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.”  (2  Tim.  1  :  1.) 
He  was  “  a  servant  of  God,  and  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ, 
according  to  the  faith  of  God’s  elect,  and  the  acknowledging 
of  the  truth,  which  is  according  to  godliness ;  in  hope  of 
eternal  life,  which  God,  who  cannot  lie,  promised  before 
the  world  began.”  (Titus  1  :  1,  2.) 

The  truth  concerning  “eternal  life,”  in  the  Son  of  God,  and 
the  hope  of  consummated  eternal  life,  at  his  appearing,  and  in 


154 


WHAT  IS  MAX  ? 


fellowship  of  immortality  and  glory  with  Him,  is  the  sum  anrl 
substance  of  the  Christian  Revelation,  respecting  the  saints  of 
God.  It  is  both  the  essence  and  form  of  “  the  words  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,”  and  of  “the  doctrine  which  is  according 
to  godliness.” 

The  elements,  and  the  form ,  and  the  'power  of  true  godli¬ 
ness,  are  embraced  by  the  doctrine  of  eternal  life  and  embo¬ 
died  immortality  in  union  with  the  risen  and  glorified  “second 
man” — “the  last  Adam” — “the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God.” 

True  humility  is  an  element  of  godliness.  It  is  a  spiritual 
habit  of  mind,  formed  and  maintained  through  the  exercise  of 
self-judgment,  in  the  realized  presence  of  God;  and  it  consists 
in  a  just  estimate  of  ourselves,  in  strict  accordance  with  God’s 
revealed  estimate  of  man — both  as  a  creature  and  as  a  sinner. 

The  conviction  of  our  original  nothingness,  as  entertained 
in  the  realized  presence  of  the  self-existent  Godhead,  is  a 
prime  element  in  spiritual  humility  ;  and  so,  also,  is  the  con¬ 
viction  of  our  moral  worthlessness,  in  the  felt  presence  of  the 
moral  perfections,  the  eternal  excellencies  of  the  Godhead. 
And  a  scriptural  conviction  of  our  own  natural  mortality ,  is 
well  suited  to  repress  every  feeling  and  thought  that  is  of  the 
nature  of  pride,  and  to  induce  a  deep  and  abiding  humility  of 
mind,  and,  in  this  respect,  to  fit  us  for  walking  humbly  with 
our  God.  And  the  conviction  of  our  real,  our  revealed, 
moral  and  legal  demerit,  as  those  who,  by  nature,  are  only  fit 
to  die  and  perish,  and  who  deserve  to  be  destroyed  forever — 
the  conviction  of  the  truth  of  this  will  confirm  the  mental 
habit  of  humility  before  God. 

True  gratitude  is  an  element  of  godliness.  It  is  the  spon¬ 
taneous  response  of  our  new  hearts  to  “the  love  of  God,  which 
is  in  Christ  Jesus.”  And  true  humility,  as  consisting  of  the 
elements  before  described,  is  essential  to  the  existence  and  ac¬ 
tivity  of  spiritual  gratitude  towards  the  Godhead,  even  to  the 
Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost.  An  experi- 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


155 


mental  knowledge  that,  notwithstanding  our  original  nothing¬ 
ness,  and  our  innate,  moral  worthlessness,  and  absolute  mor¬ 
tality,  and  our  personal  and  exceeding  sinfulness,  we  are  the 
objects  of  the  eternal  love  of  the  Godhead — that  the  Father 
loves  us,  in  his  Son,  and  as  he  loves  his  Son,  (Juo.  17  ;  23  ;) 
that  the  Son  loves  us,  and  gave  himself  for  us — loves  us,  and 
has  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood  ;  and  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  loves  us,  and  quickened  us,  when  we  were  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins  ;  and  has  sealed  us  unto  the  day  of  redemp¬ 
tion,  and  dwells  in  us,  as  the  Spirit  of  sonship,  and  the  power 
of  our  new  and  spiritual  life — an  experimental  knowledge  of 
all  this  is  suited  to  originate  and  sustain  within  our  new  hearts 
the  purest  and  deepest  gratitude,  to  the  Father,  and  to  the 
Sou,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost. 

With  this  experimental  knowledge  of  the  eternal,  unchange¬ 
able  love  of  the  Godhead,  a  just  appreciation  of  the  manner, 
and  of  the  blessings  of  divine  love  will  be  formed  and 
entertained.  We  shall  feel  grateful  to  God,  for  our  original 
creation,  in  the  first  man  Adam  ;  for  the  goodness  and  mercy 
of  God,  in  the  continued  existence  of  the  human  race,  after 
sin  had  entered  into  the  world ;  for  our  individual  birth  and 
being ;  for  the  patient  mercy  of  our  God  towards  us,  and  his 
preserving  care  over  us,  when  we  knew  him  not,  and  sinned 
daily  against  Him ;  and  for  the  grace  that  sought  us,  and 
found  us,  and  drew  us  to  Christ. 

Moreover,  as  instructed  in  the  truth  of  life,  eternal  life, 
only  in  Christ,  we  are  able  to  judge  correctly  of  the  inex¬ 
pressible  value,  to  ourselves,  of  our  own  souls.  And  while 
we  inwardly  tremble  at  the  mere  thought  of  losing  our  own 
souls — at  the  mere  thought  of  being  “  destroyed  for  ever,”  of 
being  destroyed,  “  both  soul  and  body  in  hell  ” — we  learn  to 
estimate,  as  becomes  us,  the  preciousness  of  our  redemption 
to  God,  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ.  And  with  grateful 
adoration,  we  will,  each,  say  to  Him,  “  Thou  hast  delivered 
mg  soul  from  death  and  with  the  melody  of  gratitude  in 


156 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


our  hearts— softer  and  sweeter  than  the  melody  of  David’s 
harp — we  will  each  chant  to  Him,  in  David’s  words  : — “  My 
lips  shall  greatly  rejoice  when  I  sing  unto  thee,  and  my  soul 
which  thou  hast  redeemed.” 

And,  besides  these  truthful  reflections  and  grateful  senti¬ 
ments  in  respect  to  our  own  souls ;  we  learn  to  entertain  a 
scriptural  estimate  of  11  the  gift  of  God,”  which  is  “  eternal 
life”  We  learn  to  think  correctly  of  the  spiritual  nature, 
and  unspeakable  excellency,  and  heavenly  capabilities,  of 
eternal  life.  We  know  it  to  be,  in  us,  “that  which  is  born 
of  the  Spirit,”  and,  “  is  spirit  ” — the  communicable  life  of 
the  Father — the  resurrection  life  of  the  son,  which  we  now 
have  in  immediate  and  indissoluble  union  with  him ;  and  by 
the  gift  and  possession  of  which  we  are  now  “  the  sons  of 
God,”  and  shall  assuredly  “live  for  ever.”  And  we  learn, 
that  it  is  by  virtue  of  the  possession  of  this  unspeakable  gift 
of  God,  we  are  capacitated  for  the  indwelling  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  who  is  the  strength  of  our  inward  life,  the  vigor 
of  our  inner  man,  and  by  whom  we  have  present  communion 
with  the  Father,  and  the  Son  ;  and  realize,  in  faith,  the 
experimental,  and  the  anticipated,  blessings  of  the  “  great 
salvation.”  And  we  are  caused  truly  to  understand  that  this 
same  spiritual  and  eternal  life,  in  union  with  Christ  glorified, 
is  our  fundamental  meetness  “for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints 
in  light  ” — the  embryo  of  our  immortality  and  incorrupti¬ 
bility  ;  when  Christ  our  life  shall  appear,  and  we  also  shall 
appear  with  hkn  in  glory  ;  and  shall  experimentally  know  the 
eternal  reality  of  being  “filled  with  all  the  fullness  of  God,” 
and  of  living  for  ever  in  God.  And  by  virtue  of  this  true 
knowledge  of  our  spiritual  and  celestial  and  divine  relations, 
and  hopes ;  and  an  equally  scriptural  acquaintance  with  our 
own  nothingness,  and  worthlessness,  and  mortality,  and 
desert;  we  consciously  possess  the  most  active  and  vigorous 
principles  of  a  spiritual  and  manly  gratitude  to  the  Father, 
and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost. 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


157 


True  reverence  for  God  is  an  element  of  godliness.  Spir¬ 
itual  and  filial  reverence  is  the  effect  of  a  true  acquaintance 
with  God,  and  with  his  ways  ;  and  is  in  contrast  with  legal 
and  servile  dread,  which  is  the  effect  of  a  non  acquaintance 
with  God,  and  of  gloomy  and  guilty — and,  it  may  be,  of 
unjust — apprehensions  of  Him.  True  reverence  is  known 
and  felt  and  cultivated  towards  the  great  and  good  and 
glorious  God. 

Through  a  knowledge  of  the  original  creation  of  man — of 
the  soul  of  man — out  of  nonentity ,  our  mind  and  heart  is 
impressed,  deeply,  with  the  truth  of  the  eternal,  self-existence 
of  the  Godhead.  And  through  an  acquaintance  with  the 
ways  of  God,  in  the  human  creation,  we  are  supplied  with 
elevated  conceptions  of  the  wisdom,  power,  and  beneficence 
of  God.  And  through  this  kind  and  degree  of  spiritual 
understanding,  we  are  inspired  with  the  sentiments  of  intelli¬ 
gent  and  devout  reverence  for  God. 

A  truthful  and  enlightened  impression  of  the  mysterious¬ 
ness  of  the  ways  of  God,  in  the  original  creation  of  man  (and 
of  all  things)  is  conducive  to  spiritual  reverence.  While 
meditating  on  the  actual,  and  divinely  recorded,  work  of  crea¬ 
tion,  our  minds  are  consciously  in  the  region  of  mystery — in 
the  region  in  which  true  faith  delights  to  meditate,  and  to 
adore.  All  the  distinctive  truths  and  realities  of  the  Chris¬ 
tian  Faith  are  mysteries,  having  their  foundation  in  the  great 
Mystery  of  godliness — God  manifested  in  flesh ;  and  having 
their  origin  in  the  eternal  Mystery — the  triune  Godhead,  The 
Three,  The  Indivisible,  The  One.  And  while  meditating 
on  the  manner  of  divine  wisdom  and  power  and  beneficence 
in  the  human  creation — and  perceiving  their  harmony  with  all 
that  God  has  revealed  of  himself,  and  his  ways — we  are  filled 
with  holy  reverence  ;  and,  veiling  the  face  of  mere  human 
reason,  we  bow  the  head  and  adore,  saying,  “  even  so,  Father : 
for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight.” 

A  true  knowledge  of  the  holiness  and  righteousness  of  God, 


158 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


is  conducive  to  spiritual  reverence.  By  reason  of  the  holiness 
of  God,  the  man  whom  he  created  and  made  was,  of  necessity, 
innocent  and  “very  good.”  For  God  could  not  create  an 
intelligent  and  moral  being,  who  was  not  in  harmony  with 
his  own  essential  innocency  and  goodness — God  “cannot  deny 
himself.”  For  the  same  reason,  the  unimpaired  possession  of 
innocency  and  goodness  in  man,  was  necessary  to  his  perpetual 
existence,  as  man,  and  a  creature  of  God :  and  therefore, 
•  when  man,  by  his  own  voluntary  act  of  disobedience,  had 
destroyed  his  own  innocency  and  goodness,  and  had  thus  des¬ 
troyed  his  own  well-being,  the  holiness  of  God  could  not 
permit  him  to  live  forever :  and,  as  God  had  forewarned  him 
that  death  should  be  the  penalty  of  disobedience,  the  truth 
of  God  required  that  he  should  die  ;  and  the  justice  of  God 
demanded  and  (in  the  sentence  pronounced)  declared  that 
man,  the  disobedient ,  should  revert  to  the  elemental  atoms  of 
which  he  had  been  created  and  made.  We  justly  apprehend 
the  truth  of  this,  and  we  worship  with  awe — we  reverence  and 
adore;  bearing  in  mind  that,  as  it  is  written,  “Our  God  is  a 
consuming  fire.” 

Complacency  or  delight  in  God,  is  an  element  of  godliness. 
But,  in  order  to  a  spiritual  delight  in  God,  his  own  essential 
characteristics  must  be  truly  known  :  for,  complacency  in  God 
is  the  response  of  our  new  heart  to  his  revealed  excellencies 
and  ways. 

“God  is  glorious  in  holiness.”  His  holiness  consists  in  the 
essential  goodness  of  his  nature,  and  in  the  essential  opposed¬ 
ness  of  his  moral  perfections,  to  all  actual,  and  to  all  con¬ 
ceivable  moral  evil,  or  sin.  God  is  possessed  of  infinite  power  ; 
but  he  cannot  do  any  one  thing  that  is  not  perfectly  holy,  just, 
and  good.  He  cannot  do  any  evil,  by  reason  of  the  goodness, 
and  the  love  of  goodness  that  is  in  him;  and  by  reason  of  the 
opposedness  of  his  own  essential  goodness  to  moral  evil. 
And  as  it  is  impossible  with  God  to  do  evil  or  wrong,  and  as 
he  cannot  permit  evil  to  tarry  for  ever  in  .his  sight — we  learn 


WHAT  IS  MAX  ? 


159 


to  delight  in  Him  according  to  the  inner  man. — Our  “new 
man  ”  basks  in  the  brightness  of  his  holiness,  with  unspeakable 
delight. 

God  is  “glorious  in  holiness.”  In  wisdom,  all  his  works 
were  made.  In  the  heavens,  and  in  the  earth,  God  created 
intelligent  and  moral  beings — whom  of  necessity,  he  created, 
good,  “  very  good  ;”  but  whom  he  foresaw  would  by  their  own 
disobedience,  render  themselves  unfit  for  perpetual  existence  ; 
being  no  longer  meet  for  the  wise  and  holy  and  benevolent 
design  of  a  created  and  perpetuated  moral  universe.  The 
foresight  of  God  and  his  governmental  decisions  had  not,  and 
could  not  possibly  have,  any  conceivable  influence  of  causation 
in  the  origin  and  history  of  their  foreseen  disobedience  ;  and 
the  consequent  unfitness  of  the  disobedient  to  live  for  ever : 
but  by  means  of  the  just  penalty  of  sin,  in  their  future  and 
final  destruction,  the  holiness  and  just  wrath  of  God  will  be 
shown — the  destructive  opposedness  of  his  essential  good¬ 
ness  and  holiness  to  all  moral  evil  will  then  be  fully  and 
finally  shown.  The  great  lesson  of  the  holiness,  and  just 
wrath  of  God,  will  then  have  been  fully  and  maturely  learned, 
by  the  conserved  angelic  hosts,  and  by  the  ransomed  and  im¬ 
mortalized  from  among  men.  All  who  shall  then  live,  shall 
live  for  ever;  in  holy,  joyous,  and  glorious  life;  and  with' 
supreme  complacency  in  the  eternal  Godhead,  they  will  per¬ 
petuate  the  ancient  ascription  of  thoughtful  adoration  : — “0 
Lord,  who  is  like  unto  thee  ? — Glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in 
praises,  doing  wonders!”  And  we,  now,  through,  a  true 
acquaintance  with  the  doctrine  of  life  and  immortality  only 
in  the  Son  of  God,  have  our  hearts  attuned  to  that  same 
admiring  and  adoring  praise. 

“  God  is  light.”  Truth  and  holiness  are  the  essential  quali¬ 
ties  and  characteristics  of  his  mind.  “God  is  love.”  Per¬ 
fect  and  immutable  love  is  the  essential  quality  and  character¬ 
istic  of  his  heart.  The  holiness  of  God  is  the  holiness  of 
love;  the  justice  of  God  is  the  justice  of  love;  even  as  the 


160 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


goodness  and  mercifulness  of  God  .is  the  goodness  and  inerci 
fulness  of  love.  All  the  moral  perfections  of  God — all  his 
eternal  excellencies — are  founded  in  love.  His  governmental 
laws  and  administration  are,  in  all  respects,  founded  in  love  ; 
and  his  sovereign  purposes  are  the  purposes  of  perfect  love : 
“for  God  is  love.”  The  true  knowledge  of  this  blessed 
reality  in  God,  and  in  all  his  ways,  inspires  the  heart  of  the 
believer  with  ineffable  delight  in  God. 

The  living  God  is  “the  God  of  all  grace.”  This  essential 
quality  in  God  must,  of  necessity,  be  made  manifest — this 
brightest  letter  in  his  eternal  name  must  be  shown  to  angels, 
and  principalities,  and  powers.  But,  the  creation  of  the  uni¬ 
verse,  and  the  beneficence  of  God,  as  shown  towards  unfallen, 
intelligent,  and  moral  beings,  could  not  possibly  be,  or  become, 
a  manifestation  of  his  grace  and  “  the  exceeding  riches  of  his 
grace.”  The  wisdom  of  God  is  shown  in  the  work  of  creation  ; 
but  his  manifold  wisdom  is  shown,  in  the  ways  and  the  work 
of  his  grace.  In  the  inscrutable  wisdom  of  God,  the  fact  of 
moral  evil  in  the  universe  has  been  permitted  to  take  place, 
and  for  a  season  to  transpire  ;  but,  in  the  manifold  wisdom  of 
God,  that  real,  but  temporary  evil,  is  made  the  occasion  of 
the  evolutions  of  his  eternal  counsel,  for  the  production  of  the 
greatest  and  highest  good ,  and  for  its  universal  and  eternal 
establishment  when  all  the  permitted  evil  shall  have  been 
brought  to  its  final  and  predetermined  end.  The  celestial 
hosts  are  now  learning  through  “the  Church” — through  the 
perfect  ways,  and  the  unfolding  mysteries  of  redemption  and 
eternal  life — the  manifold  wisdom  of  God ;  and  their  delight 
in  God  rises  in  proportion  as  they  thus  increase  in  the  know¬ 
ledge  of  God ;  as  he  is  made  known  through  the  manner  of 
his  love.  And  in  the  ages  to  come  God  will  show  to  them 
“the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in  his  kindness  towards 
us  in  Christ  Jesus.”  And  their  complacency  in  God  shall  be 
consummated,  when  they  have  seen  the  end  of  all  evil,  and 
have  learned  the  manner  in  which  God, .“who  commanded  the 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


161 


light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,”  has  evolved  the  revelation, 
and  the  accomplishment  of  his  eternal  purpose  of  grace  out 
of  all  that  permitted  evil;  and  has  made  that  very  evil  sub¬ 
servient  to  the  manifestation  of  all  the  perfections  of  the  God¬ 
head,  in  the  person,  and  work,  and  moral  triumphs  of  the 
Son  ;  and  in  having,  thus,  raised  us  up  from  the  depths  of 
sin  and  ruin,  and  from  the  deserved  depths  of  hell  and  de¬ 
struction,  to  the  highest  possible  state  and  degree  of  moral 
excellency  and  dignity,  in  union  of  life  and  immortality  with 
the  Son  of  God ;  and  in  having  established  us  in  the  nearest 
conceivable  relation  to  the  eternal  Godhead,  and  in  the  glory 
and  honor  proper  to  the  “  many  sons”  of  God.  The  com¬ 
placency  of  the  celestial  hosts,  in  God  and  in  his  ways,  will 
then  be  consummated.  And  our  own  delight  in  God  will  now 
be  real,  and  spiritual,  and  habitual,  and  will  rise  in  intensity 
and  practical  power,  as  we  now  learn  God,  through  the  Scrip¬ 
tures  of  truth,  and  by  the  light  and  teachings  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

Filial  confidence  in  God  is  an  element  of  godliness.  And, 
as  we  learn,  and  become  acquainted  with  God — in  the  revealed 
principles,  and  decisions,  and  administration  of  his  holiness, 
justice,  and  truth  ;  as  these  are  made  known  in  his  estimate 
of  man,  and  in  the  revealed  desert  and  final  penalty  of  sin — ■ 
our  confidence  in  Him  will  be  unclouded,  serene,  and  firm. 
We  will  say,  in  our  inmost  heart,  “This  God  is  our  God” — . 
“This  holy,  just,  and  good  God  is  our  Father,  who  is  in 
heaven.” 

In  all  the  circumstances,  and  through  all  the  vicissitudes  of 
our  history  on  earth,  our  heart  will  confide  in  Him.  In  his 
exceeding  great  and  precious  promises,  our  confidence  will  be 
supreme.  And,  as  we  learn  the  lessons  of  his  inviolable  holi¬ 
ness,  and  justice,  and  goodness,  and  truth;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  learn  his  perfect  love,  and  the  exceeding  riches  of  his 
grace,  and  his  mercy  that  endureth  forever;  we  will  trust  the 
Lord,  and  bless  the  Lord,  at  all  times ;  and  his  praise  will 

14 


162 


WHAT  IS  MA N  ? 


be  continually  in  our  mouth.  Under  the  dark  clouds  of 
mystery,  that  may,  at  any  time,  enshroud  his  paternal  per¬ 
missions  of  affliction  and  distress,  we  will  still  trust  in  Him, 
with  an  unyielding  and  unquestioning  trust.  Being  acquainted 
with  God,  in  his  unchangeable  perfections,  and  in  his  invio¬ 
lable  promises,  and  being  persuaded  that  what  He  has 
promised,  He  is  able  also  to  perform,  our  filial  confidence  in 
Him  will  indeed  be  supreme  ;  and  in  the  darkest  hour,  we 
shall  be  able  to  express  our  confidence  in  Him,  even  as  Job 
did  of  old  : — “Though  He  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  Him.” 

Exalted  views  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  enter  essentially  into  the 
experimental  basis  of  godliness.  And  the  true  knowledge 
that  Christ  is,  indeed,  “  our  life,”  will  and  must  exalt  him 
greatly  in  our  hearts.  Knowing  that  he  emptied  himself  of 
his  immensity  and  majesty  and  glory,  and  became  man,  that 
we  might  have  life,  through  him,  and  in  him  :  knowing  that, 
as  “  the  second  man,”  he  encountered  our  great  adversary  the 
devil,  in  moral  conflict;  and  stood  fast  under  all  his  tempta¬ 
tions  ;  and  triumphed  on  the  cross — and  all,  to  rescue  us,  with 
all  his  own  chosen  ones,  from  the  grasp  of  him  that  had  the 
power  of  death ;  and  that  he  died  upon  the  cross  to  redeem 
our  souls  from  death — our  life,  from  destruction  ;  and  that  he 
rose  from  the  dead,  having  effectuated  immortality  for  us ; 
and  that  therefore,  because  he  lives,  we  shall  also  live : 
knowing  that  he  is  very  God  and  real  man,  and  that  “  in  him 
was  life” — even  in  eternity,  as  also  when  he  came  into  the 
world;  yea,  that  he  is  “the  life;”  but  that  the  communi¬ 
cation  of  that  same  eternal  life  to  us,  could  be  effected  only 
through  the  mystery,  first,  of  his  incarnation,  and  then,  of  his 
death  on  the  cross,  and  his  resurrection,  no  more  to  die  : 
knowing  that,  from  the  first  man  Adam  we  have  inherited  no 
real  and  abiding  life  ;  but  only  a  forfeited  existence,  under 
the  power  of  sin  and  death  ;  and  that  in  the  Lord  from 
heaven,  the  second  man,  the  last  Adam,  the  life-giving  Spirit, 
we  have  righteousness,  and  life — eternal  and  glorious  life/ 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


163 


and  that  we  owe  our  immortality  to  Jesus:  knowing  all 
these  blessed  truths  and  realities,  we  will  highly  exalt  Jesus 
in  our  hearts,  and  in  our  songs  of  thanksgiving  and  praise, 
and  of  supreme  worship  to  him — to  Him  who  died,  that  we 
should  never  die — to  Him  who  lives,  that  we  should  ever  live 
— to  Him  “who  only  hath  immortality,”  but  who  has  taken 
us  into  communion,  of  immortality,  with  himself :  knowing 
all  these  blessed  truths  and  realities,  we  shall  know  and  feel, 
that  we  have  not  worthily  honored  and  exalted  the  blessed 
name  of  Jesus  ;  until  we  have  wreathed  it  around  with  the 
amaranth  of  immortal  honor — won  by  himself  alone  :  and 
have  fastened  it  on  the  frontispiece  of  our  confessed  faith  and 
hope  in  Him ;  with  a  band  of  golden  letters,  in  which  these 
words  may  be  seen  and  read  of  all  men: — “We  owe  our 
IMMORTALITY  TO  JESUS  !  We  HAVE  NO  IMMORTALITY,  OR 
REAL  LIFE,  OUT  OF  JESUS  ClIRIST,  THE  SON  OF  THE  LIVING 

God  ! 

Personal  holiness  is  essential  to  personal  godliness.  Per¬ 
sonal  holiness  consists  in  an  inward  and  practical  separation 
from  sin — in  a  confirmed,  inward  habit  of  opposedness  to,  and 
detestation  of,  all  moral  evil ;  especially  of  that  which  is  in 
our  own  natural  hearts.  And  a  true  understanding  of  the 
two-fold  declaration  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that,  “the  wages  of 
sin  is  death  ;  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,”  does  truly  exercise  our  heart  and 
conscience,  in  the  knowledge  of  holiness,  and  of  sin.  Many 
deep  lessons  concerning  holiness,  and  concerning  sin,  are 
learned  in  this  department  of  the  School  of  God ;  even  as  we 
are  taught  that,  sin,  considered  in  its  active  and  positive 
manifestations,  is  contrariety  to  the  expressed  will  of  God. 
In  its  own  nature,  sin  is  a  violation,  and  a  state  and  conse¬ 
quence  of  the  violation  of  the  mental  and  moral  laws  of 
personal  and  constitutional  existence,  which  God  originally 
created  and  made.  In  its  nature,  workings,  and  effects,  sin  is 
opposed  to  the  wise,  and  holy,  and  beneficent  will,  and  object 


164 


WHAT  IS  MAX  ? 


of  God,  in  the  creation  of  an  intelligent  and  moral  existence. 
It  is,  in  like  manner,  and  to  the  same  degree,  opposed  to  the 
honor  and  maintenance  of  the  moral  government  of  God. 
For  the  very  presence  of  sin  in  the  universe,  calls  in  question 
the  moral  perfections,  the  eternal  excellencies  of  God  ;  and 
disputes  his  rightful  dominion,  and  sovereignty — his  supre¬ 
macy,  as  God. 

The  inherent  evil  of  sin  is  thus  seen  to  consist  in  a  radical 
contrariety  to  the  eternal  excellencies  and  glory  of  God  ;  and 
to  his  wise,  and  holy,  and  beneficent  designs  in  the  creation 
and  the  sustainment  of  an  intelligent  and  moral  universe. 
And  we  learn,  that  because  the  thrice  holy  God  cannot  allow 
his  moral  designs  to  be  contravened  and  annulled,  and  “can¬ 
not  deny  himself, ”  therefore  he  cannot  permit  a  sinful  and 
disobedient  creature  to  live  forever,  within  the  confines  of  his 
moral  empire,  and  to  be  a  perpetual  contradiction  to  his  will 
and  to  himself. 

These  considerations  cannot  fail  to  produce  and  sustain  a 
just  and  extensive  conviction  of  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of 
sin,  and  to  confirm  the  believer  in  Jesus  in  the  inward  habit 
of  holiness ;  even  the  holiness  without  which  no  man  shall  see 
the  Lord.  And,  as  thus  instructed,  the  saint  of  the  Lord  will 
hearken  with  reverent  and  devout  regard  to  the  command  of 
our  God  and  Heavenly  Father  :  “  Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy 
and  the  heart  which  is  thus  confirmed  in  the  inwiard  habit  of 
holiness  will  be  very  susceptible  of  the  effect  intended  in  the 
inspired  appeal:  “What  fruit  had  you  in  those  things, 
whereof  you  are  now  ashamed  ?  for  the  end  of  those  things 
is  death” 

Moreover,  through  a  true  acquaintance  with  the  doctrine  of 
life  only  in  Christ,  and  that  we  have  in  us  a  new  and  holy 
nature — engendered  within  us  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  “is 
spirit” — we  are  enabled  to  entertain  the  moral  judgment  of 
God  concerning  “the  flesh.”  We  both  know  and  feel  the 
truth  of  those  weighty  words:  “I  know  that  in  me,  that  is,  in 


WIIAT  IS  MAN  ? 


165 


my  flesh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing.”  And  to  be  well  instructed 
as  to  the  innate  evil  of  the  flesh,  and  the  consequent  necessity 
for  its  destruction,  according  to  the  judgment  of  God,  is  a 
prime  requisite  for  repressing  its  more  insidious  workings,  be¬ 
sides  all  the  grosser  forms  of  its  inveterate  evil ;  and  apart 
from  such  an  inward  and  continuous  and  successful  moral  con¬ 
flict,  personal  holiness  is  not  and  cannot  be  sustained.  And, 
through  the  same  doctrine,  we  are  informed  and  instructed, 
in  respect  to  the  essential  and  immutable  moral  goodness  of 
the  new  and  heavenly  and  divine  nature  of  which  we  are  made 
partakers  by  actual  regeneration  ;  being  thus  made,  in  very 
deed,  “sons  of  God.”  And,  in  this  way,  we  have  a  commun¬ 
ity  of  mind  with  the  Divine  Logos,  the  living  Word,  which, 
in  discriminating  between  our  innate  evil  and  our  imparted 
good ,  is  exceedingly  “  powerful,  and  is  keener  than  any  two- 
edged  sword  ;  piercing  even  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul 
and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  marrow,  and  is  a  discerner  of 
the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart.”  And  in  this  way 
only  are  we  made  truly  acquainted  with  the  moral  contrarieties 
and  active  antagonism  of  “the  flesh”  and  of  “  the  spirit;”  as 
it  is  written,  “For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the 
spirit  against  the  flesh  :  and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the 
other :  in  order  that  you  might  not  do  the  things  that  you 
would.”*  We  are  made  aware  that  the  tendency  and  aim  of 
the  flesh — “the  old  man” — is  to  hinder  us  from  walking  stead¬ 
fastly  in  the  way  of  holiness ;  in  conscious  conformity  to  the 
will  of  God  concerning  us  in  Christ  Jesus ;  and  that  the  tend¬ 
ency  and  aim  of  the  spirit — “the  new  man” — is  to  detect  and 
repress  the  motions  of  sin  in  the  flesh  ;  so  that  we  should 
walk  in  the  light,  as  God  is  in  the  light ;  and  thus  have  con¬ 
scious  fellowship  with  him ;  realizing  in  our  heart  and  con¬ 
science  that  “the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  Son,  cleanseth  us 
from  all  sin.”  And  the  value  of  this  instruction  is  most  known 


*  The  above  is  the  true  rendering;  of  the  last  clause  in  the  verse. 

14* 


166 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


and  felt  by  us  in  the  exercise  of  self-judgment  before  God-  in 
the  practice  of  introspection,  whereby  we  reflect  upon  our  own 
consciousness  of  the  presence  and  activities  of  the  two  con¬ 
trary  and  antagonistic  natures  within  us ;  as  constituting  our 
present  and  personal  existence,  while  in  this  body,  in  which 
the  innate  sin  of  our  natural  being  still  abides.  And  without 
this  exercise  of  self-judgment,  this  spiritual  introspection  be¬ 
fore  God,  we  cannot  maintain  an  inward  and  successful  moral 
conflict  with  evil  ;  and  excepting  this  be  maintained,  we  can¬ 
not  be  found  in  the  habit  of  “perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord  and  of  doing  the  things  that  are  pleasing  to  our 
Father  who  is  in  heaven — doing  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart. 

“  Unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren”  is  an  element  of  godli¬ 
ness.  “We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life, 
because  we  love  the  brethren.” 

But  in  order  to  the  possession  of  this  knowledge,  as  it  was 
possessed  by  the  apostle  John,  we  must  needs  have  com¬ 
munion  with  the  mind  of  God,  as  to  who  and  what  “the 
brethren”  are,  and  in  what  relations  they  stand  towards  us, 
and  we  towards  them  in  the  Spirit  and  in  Christ.  Not  that 
we  must  even  think  of  discerning  the  heart  of  another ;  but 
we  must  learn  to  think  of  the  brethren,  even  of  all  the  children 
of  God,  in  communion  of  mind  and  heart  with  the  Father, 
and  with  the  Son  ;  or  we  cannot  love  them  according  to  God  ; 
and  with  an  intelligence  that  will  avail  us,  as  it  availed  John, 
and  the  children  of  God  in  his  day. 

Brotherly  love  is  spiritual  and  not  natural.  The  brother¬ 
hood  of  all  saints  is  wholly  in  the  spirit  or  new  man,  and  not 
at  all  in  the  flesh  or  old  man.  It  is  most  true,  that  true 
believers  are  “taught  of  God” — intuitively  taught  of  God — 
“to  love  one  another:”  but  we  are  instructed  and  trained  in 
this,  as  well  as  in  every  other  principle  and  form  of  godliness, 
through  the  truth:  and  so  we  are  exhorted  to  “ consider  one 
another  to  provoke  unto  love  and  unto  good  works.”  And 
for  thus  considei'ing  one  another,  we  are  supplied  with  the 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


167 


needful  light  and  facilities  through  the  doctrine  of  life,  even 
eternal  life,  in  the  Son  of  God.  By  means  of  this  clearly 
revealed  and  comprehensive  doctrine  we  are  enabled  to  think 
of  the  brethren,  even  of  all  saints,  as  the  subjects,  with  us,  of 
one  common  redemption  from  the  power  of  sin  and  death, 
by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ.  We  know,  that,  in  common, 
we  owe  the  redemption  of  out '  souls  from  death — and  thus, 
the  conservation  of  our  once  forfeited  existence — to  the  infin¬ 
ite  value  and  efficacy  of  the  redeeming  blood  of  the  Son  of 
God.  And  a  true  consideration  of  this,  will  always  supply 
mighty  motives  for  “  unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren  ;”  and  it 
will  habitually  dispose  our  hearts  to  give  heed  to  that  related 
word  of  exhortation  :  “  See  that  ye  love  one  another  with  a 
pure  heart  fervently.”  For  in  this  way,  we  are  habitually 
reminded  that  each  one  has  been  purchased  with  the  same 
inestimable  price ;  that  the  redeeming  value  and  efficacy  of 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ  is,  alike,  upon  each  one,  securing 
him  to  an  eternal,  immortal  existence ;  and  that  each  one  is 
an  integral  part  of  the  acquired  possession — the  peculiar 
treasure — of  Christ  Jesus  ;  for  which  he  gave  himself,  when 
he  laid  down  his  life  upon  the  cross,  in  obedience  to  the  com¬ 
mandment  of  the  Father  ;  and  that  he  might  take  it  up  again. 

Moreover :  the  true  knowledge  and  understanding  of  our 
common  redemption  from  the  power  of  sin  and  death,  includes 
an  acquaintance  with  our  being,  together,  made  “  accepted  in 
the  Beloved.”  We  therefore  learn  to  reckon  ourselves,  and 
each  other,  “  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.”  And  thus  considering  one 
another,  as  “accepted  in  the  Beloved” — standing  always  before 
God  in  his  beloved  Son — and  always  viewed  of  God  in  his 
risen  and  glorified  Son — in  the  spotless  purity  and  moral 
loveliness  of  Christ ;  and  made  to  be  “  the  righteousness  of 
of  God  in  him ;”  we  are  enabled  to  think  of  each  other,  and 
to  *feel  towards  each  other,  not  according  to  that  which  is  of 
the  flesh — of  the  first  man,  “the  earthy;”  but  according  to 


163 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


that  which  we  are,  alike  and  together,  in  Christ,  the  second 
man,  the  last  Adam,  the  Heavenly,  the  Divine ;  and,  so,  to 
have  a  just  appreciation  of  each  other,  in  accordance  with  the 
mind  of  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven. 

But  more  :  the  consideration  of  our  spiritual  and  divine 
generation  is  suited  and  intended  to  occupy  and  interest  our 
hearts  in  each  other  ;  teaching  us,  truly  and  intelligently,  to 
‘‘love  the  brotherhood. ”  And,  on  this  subject,  the  true, 
Scriptural  doctrine  of  life  and  immortality  in  the  risen  Son  of 
God,  includes  and  supplies  the  true  teaching  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  concerning  our  being  in  reality  “born  of  God.” 
While  it  unfolds  to  us  the  truth  concerning  the  moral  and 
immutable  perfections  of  God,  as  determining  the  nature  and 
character  of  all  his  acts,  and  ways  ;  it  also  teaches  us  the 
reality,  and  the  manner,  of  our  being  made  partakers  of  the 
emanative  and  communicable  life  of  God ;  and  that  all  the 
moral  qualities  of  this  new,  spiritual,  celestial,  divine  nature, 
are  in  accordance — and  immutably  in  accordance — with  the 
moral  perfections  of  the  eternal  Godhead.  We  are  thus 
instructed  concerning  the  essential  and  unchangeable  moral 
goodness  of  “that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit,”  and  “is 
spirit ;”  and  which  is  the  new  constituent  of  personal  being, 
in  “every  one  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit.”  The  eyes  of  our 
understanding  being,  thus,  enlightened,  we  perceive  and  feel, 
the  depth  of  meaning,  and  the  force  of  application,  which  are 
in  that  divine  declaration  :  “  He  that  loveth  Him  that  begat, 
loveth  him  also  that  is  begotten  of  Him.”  This  divine 
declaration  is  known  to  be  founded  in  the  divine  reality  of 
our  new  and  spiritual  nature  ;  and  to  include  a  three-fold 
motive,  for  the  cultivation  and  exercise  of  true  and  spiritual 
love.  We  who  truly  love  God,  love  them  also  who  are 
begotten  of  God.  And  we  love  them  because  of  the  exceed¬ 
ingly  near,  and  filial  relation  to  God  our  Heavenly  Father. in 
which  both  we  and  our  brethren  in  Christ  really  stand ; — - 
because  of  the  peculiar  and  everlasting  love  of  the  Godhead 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


169 


in  which  this  peculiar  and  eternal  relationship  originated,  and 
with  which  every  child  of  God  is  alike  loved,  of  the  Father, 
and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit ; — and  because  of  the 
intrinsic,  moral  and  spiritual,  excellencies  of  the  new  nature, 
which  is  in  every  one  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit ;  even,  every 
good  thing  which  is  in  us  in  Christ  Jesus;  though  the  mani¬ 
festation  thereof  may  now  be  greatly  hindered  and  obscured. 
And  while  thus  considering  “  the  brethren”  as  being  “not 
in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  spirit,”  we  learn  to  cultivate  and 
exercise  towards  them  the  love  that  delights  in  God,  and 
therefore  delights  in  the  true  offspring  of  God— the  sons  of 
the  living  God — the  incorruptible  God. 

Benevolence  and  kindliness  towards  all  men  is  an  element 
of  godliness.  The  true  and  manifest  exercise  of  this 
spiritual  virtue  glorifies  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven  :  for 
it  is  the  reflection  and  resemblance  of  his  own  benevolent  and 
merciful  disposition  and  ways,  towards  all  men,  as  his 
creatures ;  notwithstanding  their  manifold  evil,  and  sins 
against  him.  It  is  indeed  true  of  God,  that  “  he  hateth 
nothing  that  he  has  made  :”  and  the  truth  of  this  is  taught 
most  clearly  and  impressively  in  the  doctrine  of  life  and 
immortality  only,  in  the  risen  Son  of  God.  By  means  of  this 
true  and  godly. doctrine  we  are  enabled  to  consider,  correctly, 
the  conduct  and  ways  of  God  towards  all  men,  as  his  creatures 
upon  the  earth  ;  and  to  think  with  truth  of  their  natural 
relations  to  the  Creator  and  the  Preserver  of  men. 

God  hates  sin  with  an  infinite  abhorence  ;  for  his  holiness 
is  essentially  and  infinitely  opposed  to  all  moral  evil :  but  he 
does  not — and  by  virtue  of  his  own  essential  goodness,  he 
cannot — hate  the  persons  in  whom  the  sin  is,  and  in  whos.e 
history  it  transpires.  God  has  shown  in  his  word  that  it  is 
not  his  good  pleasure  to  give  eternal  life  to  all  men — to  make 
all  men  immortal.  The  reason  why  he  gives  eternal  life  to 
the  particular  persons  whom  he  has  given  to  his  Son,  He,  the 

Sovereign  of  the  Universe,  has  not  disclosed  ;  nor  does 

15 


170 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


Gabriel  ask  the  reason  why.  He  saves  one,  and  does  not 
save  another  ;  but  the  archangel,  Michael,  would  not  presume 
to  question  God,  on  the  secret  things  that  belong  only  to 
Him.  But,  though  He  has  not  purposed  to  give  eternal  life 
and  immortality  to  all  men  ;  arid  multitudes  of  the  human 
race  must  in  the  end  pey'ish,  and  be  no  more ;  yet,  the 
benevolence  of  God  towards  the  human  race  remains  unques-  - 
tionable  from  the  first.  When  man  ceased  to  regard  God 
with  the  duteous  love  of  a  creature,  God  did  not,  and  could 
not,  cease  to  regard  man  with  the  benevolence  of  the  Creator. 
Man  when  he  sinned,  renounced  his  innocency,  but  God  did 
not  and  could  not,  renounce  the  mercifulness  of  his  nature. 
God  is  essentially  good  and  merciful  :  and  even  in  his  ways 
of  justice  and  judgment,  this  is  made  manifest  to  the  holy 
angels  :  but  men  upon  the  earth  have  thought  otherwise  ; 
and  therefore  “have  not  spoken  of  God  the  thing  that  is 
right.’’  No  thought  nor  feeling  exists,  or  can  exist,  in  the 
mind  and  heart  of  God,  that  bears  the  most  remote  resem¬ 
blance  to  the  thoughts  and  feelings  of  human  enmity, 
retaliation,  and  revenge.  His  own  essential  and  glorious 
holiness  renders  that  an  eternal  impossibility  with  Him. 
And  the  eternal  majesty  and  dignity  of  God,  forbid  that 
any  such  thought  should  be  entertained  in  relation  to  Him. 

With  God  there  is  no  variableness,  neither  shadow  of 
turning :  and  the  reality  and  endurance  of  his  goodness  and 
mercy  towards  all  men  has  been,  and  is  now  being,  abundantly 
proved.  “  The  earth  is  full  of  the  goodness  of  the  Lord.” — 

“  God  is  good  to  all,  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his 
works.”  Our  Father  who  is  in  heaven  “  is  kind  to  the 
unthankful  and  to  the  evil.”  And  “his  mercy  endureth  for 
ever.”  And  this  acquaintance  with  God  into  which  we  are 
led  through  the  doctrine  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus,  capacitates  us 
to  imitate — inwardly,  and  in  manifest  conduct — the  benevo¬ 
lence  and  mercifulness  of  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven ;  and, 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


171 


so,  to  make  manifest  that  we  are  liis  sons,  by  resembling  him, 
in  his  merciful  heart  and  ways. 

Being  thus  enlightened  and  instructed  in  the  true  know¬ 
ledge  of  God,  we  will  seek  to  do  good  towards  all  men  ;  in 
our  Heavenly  Father’s  own  ways  of  doing  good.  We  will 
love  all  men  with  a  pure  and  disinterested  good  will.  And 
we  will  yield  a  true  and  cheerful  obedience  to  the  command¬ 
ment  of  the  Lord  : — “  Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that 
curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them 
who  despitefully  use  you  and  persecute  you  ;  that  you  may  be 
( manifestly )  the  children  of  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven.” 

The  cardinal  principles  or  true  elements  of  godliness  have 
now  been  described  ;  and  they  are  seen  to  be  included  in,  and 
inculcated  by  means  of,  the  doctrine  of  “life  in  Christ  Jesus” 
—  of  immortality,  only  in  the  risen  Son  of  God.  And  being 
instructed  in  that  central  truth  of  the  Christian  Revelation  — 
the  truth  that  stands  on  the  very  centre  of  the  Divine  Rock, 
on  which  the  Church  of  the  living  God  is  built — we  know  that 
we  are  instructed  “  according  to  the  faith  of  God’s  elect,  and 
the  acknowledging  of  the  truth  which  is  according  to  godliness.” 

There  are  other  considerations  embraced,  and  presented  to 
our  view  : — 

The  grand,  spiritual  motor  of  all  godliness  is  love  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And  true  love  to  Jesus  is  inspired  and 
energized  through  a  true  and  holy  consideration  of  Who  and 
What  He  is,  in  Himself ;  and  of  what  he  became,  and  what 
he  endured,  and  what  he  overcame,  and  what  he  effectuated 
for  us.  And  the  true  doctrine  of  life  and  immortality  and 
incorruptibility,  only  in  Him,  embraces,  essentially,  all  that  is 
true  concerning  Himself,  and  the  humiliation  to  which  he 
condescended  out  of  the  absoluteness  of  supreme  Godhead, 
and  concerning  the  work  which  the  Father  gave  him  to  do, 
and  which  he  finished  on  the  earth  ;  and  then  returned  into 
the  glory  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was  ;  in 
essential  co-equality  and  unity  with  the  Father,  and  the  Holy 


172 


WHAT  IS  MAX  ? 


Ghost.  We  glory  in  confessing  Him  very  God  and  read 
man  :  and  we  are  not  able  to  conceive  of  Him  as  the 
Depository  and  Giver  of  eternal  life — as  the  Holder  and 
Author  of  immortality,  save  only  as  He  is  truly  and  essenti¬ 
ally  God.  And  the  exalted  and  grateful  views  of  Jesus 
which  have  already  been  shown  to  be  embraced  in  the 
doctrine  now  in  view ;  may  well  inspire  our  hearts  with  true 
and  ardent  love  to  Him — His  person  and  atonement  and 
grace  and  glory  being  habitually  in  view  ;  and  contemplated, 
in  the  exercise  of  a  spiritual  understanding  and  a  living  faith. 

The  grand  motor  of  godliness  is  love  to  Christ.  And  by 
means  of  the  true  doctrine  of  “  life  in  Christ,”  we  learn  that 
the  eternal  life  which  we  have  in  him,  is  his  own  communicable 
life;  and  that,  by  virtue  of  its  impartation,  Christ  liveth  in 
us,  and  we  live  in  him  ;  for  He  is  “  our  life,”  and  our  life  is 
hid  with  him  in  God.  And  an  acquaintance  with  this  truth 
teaches  us  how  to  manifest  love  to  Christ — to  'The  King. 
Love  to  Christ  is  not  a  mere  inoperative  sentiment ;  however 
that  sentiment  may  be  garnished  with  the  flowers  of  poetry  ; 
or  with  the  rhetoric  of  devout  romance.  Love  to  Christ  is  a 
principle  of  action  and  of  conduct ;  and  we  well  know  that 
the  kind  offices  and  bestowments  of  our  love,  extend  not  to 
him,  save  only  as  they  extend  to  the  saints  that  are  on  the 
earth — the  excellent  in  whom  is  all  his  delight,  and  in  whom 
he  truly  lives ;  and  in  whom  he  walks  the  earth  ;  and  in  the 
case  of  many  of  whom,  “The  King”  is  “an  hungered,”  and  is 
“thirsty,”  and  is  “a  stranger,”  and  is  “unclad,”  and  is  “sick,” 
and  is  “in  prison.”  Now  when  we  have  learned  that  all  this 
is  not  an  affair  of  mere  metaphor  or  doubtful  words ;  but  that 
Christ  does  truly,  and  inwardly,  live  in  those  whom  “he  is 
not  ashamed  to  call  his  brethren;”  we  have  learned  how  to 
love  Christ  and  to  manifest  love  to  Him,  according  to  his 
own  will. 

And  while  the  grand  motor  of  godliness  is  love  to  Christ, 
the  very  substance  of  godliness  is  the  life  of  Christ  in  us — 


WIIAT  IS  MAX  ? 


■t 

I  iO 

his  own  fruitful  and  fruit-bearing  life.  Without  Christ,  as 
abiding  in  us,  and  we  abiding  in  him — Christ  really  abiding 
in  us,  and  we  consciously  abiding  in  him — we  are  not  able 
to  “bring  forth  fruit  unto  God  even,  “the  fruit  of  the 
Spirit;”  which  is  the  fruit  of  the  resurrection  life  of  Christ  in 
us:  and  apart  from  the  true  doctrine  of  life  in  the  Son  of 
God,  we  are  not,  and  cannot  be,  well  instructed  in  the  mystery 
of  our  real,  and  vital  and  indissoluble  union  with  Him.  who  is 
risen  from  the  dead. 

The  real  embodiment  and  true  form  of  godliness  is  the 
imitation  of  Jesus  Christ.  But,  in  order  to  our  really  imi¬ 
tating  him,  we  must  first  learn  and  know  and  realize,  in 
faith,  our  own  true  dignity ,  as  sons  and  heirs  of  God — “  heirs 
of  God  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ and  concerning  this,  our 
proper  dignity,  we  are  instructed  through  the  true  doctrine  of 
eternal  life  in  the  risen  Son  of  God. 

The  example  of  the  Lord  Jesus — and  which  he  has  left  for 
our  imitation — consists  in  voluntary  condescension  and  humil¬ 
iation  ;  and  in  self-sacrificing  devotedness  to  the  will  and  the 
glory  of  God.  But  the  certain  knowledge  of  our  personal 
dignity,  and  of  our  immortal  and  glorious  destiny  also,  is 
necessary  to  our  really  imitating  Christ ;  to  which  course  of 
imitation  we  are  commanded  in  these  words  : — “  Let  this  same 
mind  be  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus  :  Who,  being 
in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with 
God  ;  but  made  himself  of  no  reputation  (emptied  himself) 
and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the 
likeness  of  men ;  and  being  found  in  fashion  as  man,  he 
humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the 
death  of  the  cross.  Wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted 
him,  and  given  him  a  name  which  is  above  every  name :  that 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  (those)  in 
heaven,  and  in  earth,  and  under  the  earth.” 

In  this  way,  we  are  commanded  to  cultivate  and  practise 
the  imitation  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  particulars  of  such  imita- 


WIT  AT  IS  MAN  ? 


J  74 

lion  pervade  the  Christian  Revelation,  in  various  forms  of 
exhortation  and  command.  But  before  us  now,  is  the  all- 
inclusive  standard  and  model  of  the  practical  life  and  conduct 
of  the  children  of  God — the  saints  of  the  Lord.  And  through 
a  real  acquaintance  with  our  true  dignity,  as  the  begotten, 
and  inwardly  acknowledged,  sons  of  God  ;  and  a  correspond¬ 
ing  acquaintance  with  our  insured  destiny,  as  joint  heirs  with 
Jesus,  the  Christ ;  we  are  capacitated  to  study,  and  to 
imitate  the  example  which  our  Lord  and  Saviour  has  left  us, 
that  we  should  walk  in  his  steps — in  holiness,  in  righteousness 
and  in  love. 

The  resources  of  godliness  consist  in  the  fullness  that 
dwells  in  Christ.  He  is  our  living  and  righteous  and  immor¬ 
tal  Head:  and  “  in  Him  dwelleth  all  the  fullness  of  the 
Godhead  bodily  :  and  we  are  complete  in  Him,  who  is  the 
Head  of  all  principality  and  power.”  We  are  complete  in 
him,  because  that  he  has  redeemed  us  from  the  power  of  sin 
and  death — has  redeemed  us  to  God  by  his  blood ;  and 
because  we  are  made  to  be  “the  righteousness  of  God  in 
him;”  and  because  that  God  has  given  us  eternal  life  in 
him  ;  and  we  live,  yet  not  we,  but  Christ  liveth  in  us.  And 
hence  the  resources  of  godliness  are  made  ours,  “According 
as  his  divine  power  hath  given  to  us  all  things  that  pertain 
unto  life  and  godliness  through  the  knowledge  of  him  who 
hath  called  us  to  glory  and  virtue.”  And  knowing  and 
realizing  this,  we  are  enabled  and  inspired  to  say,  “  Blessed 
be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath 
blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  the  heavenlies  in 
Christ :  according  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  without 
blame  before  him  in  love.” 

The  power  of  godliness  is  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  dwelling 
in  those  who  are  born  of  him.  Our  body  is  the  temple  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  He  dwells  in  us,  the  gift  of  the  Father’s 
love  to  us,  in  the  Son.  In  ancient  times  God  dwelt  in  the 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


175 


tabernacle  which  Moses  had  erected ;  and,  afterwards  in  the 
temple  which  Solomon  had  reared.  But  before  he  conde¬ 
scended  to  dwell*  therein,  the  blood  of  the  slain  sacrifice  was 
applied.  The  sacrificial  and  typical  blood  must  interpose 
between  the  inward  presence  of  the  Holy  God  and  that  taber¬ 
nacle  which  had  been  reared  by  sinful  men  ;  and  therefore 
that  sacrificial  blood  was  ceremonially  applied. 

The  materials  of  which  the  tabernacle  was  made  were 
things  indifferent  ;  and  the  model  of  the  tabernacle  was 
designed  of  God,  and  was  shown  to  Moses  on  the  Mount;  but 
by  the  touch  of  sinful  men  all  was  defiled  ;  and  hence  the 
typical  blood  must  interpose.  So,  also,  in  respect  to  our 
mortal  body ;  the  model  thereof  was  originally  designed  of 
God  ;  and  by  the  power  of  God  alone,  w7as  the  human  body 
first  formed  ;  and,  this  mortal  body  as  to  its  organism,  is  the 
result — or,  a  proximate  result — of  the  formative  laws  and 
activities  which  God  at  the  first  ordained.  The  material  of 
the  body  is  a  thing  indifferent ;  but  the  body,  itself  is  defiled 
by  sin  ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  only  as  placed  under  the  power  of 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  that  it  can  be  used  in  the  service 
of  God  at  all.  But  that  precious  and  redeeming  blood  has 
been  applied  to  us — to  our  souls,  of  which  the  body  is  the 
manifestation  :  and,  so,  even  our  “body  is  for  the  Lord  and 
we  are  enabled  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  present  our  body  a  living 
sacrifice  to  God,  holy  and  well  pleasing  to  him  ;  and  to  do  so 
is  our  reasonable  service.  And  in  another  relation  our  body 
is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  blood  of  atonement, 
with  its  infinite  value  and  efficacy,  has  interposed,  and  does 
interpose ;  and,  so,  the  Holy  God  can  and  does  dwell  in  us. 
But  our  body  is  only  the  outward  form  of  the  temple  of  the 
true  Divinity  who  dwells  within,  even  the  Holy  Spirit.  Our 
body  is  the  hieron*  or  temple  circumstantial,  and  not  the 
naon*  the  temple  proper.  Even  our  ransomed  and  quickened 


*  Hieron  is  the  Greek  word  used  to  signify  the  “  temple,”  as  includ- 

15* 


176 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


soul  pertains,  at  present,  rather  to  the  hieron  than  to  the  naon. 
Our  soul  is  indeed  brought  fully  under  the  power  of  “  the 
blood:”  for  it  is  thereby  delivered  from  death,  and  redeemed 
to  God  ;  and,  so,  it  answers  to  the  “  holy  place”  into  which  the 
priests  might  enter ;  but  it  is  not  now  the  “  most  holy,”  though 
it  will  be  identical  with  the  “  most  holy”  hereafter.  The  naon 
or  temple  proper  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  that  in  us  which  is  born 
of  God  ;  this  is  the  most  holy  or  holy  of  holies,  in  the  person 
of  the  saint ;  and  excepting  this  were  first  engendered  in  us, 
the  Holy  Ghost  could  not  dwell  in  us  at  all.  It  is  our  new 
and  inner  man  that  is  the  temple  proper  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
And  concerning  this  we  are  most  clearly  informed  and  in¬ 
structed  by  means  of  the  doctrine  of  life  in  the  risen  Son  of 
God — of  Christ  living  in  us  :  for  the  new  man  is  the  commu¬ 
nicable  life  of  God  which  we  now  have  in  union  and  commu¬ 
nion  with  his  own  blessed  Son. 

The  Spirit  of  God,  in  us,  is  the  proper  vigor  of  the  inner 
man.  He  is  our  only  power  of  spiritual  worship,  and  of 
victory  over  moral  evil,  both  within  and  around  us  ;  and  of 
all  evangelical  obedience,  and  of  ability  to  call  God  “  Abba, 
Father,”  and  to  live  and  walk  in  conscious  communion  with 
the  Father  and  the  Son  ;  and  that  so  walking  in  the  light,  we 
should  know  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  who  has  been  pleased 
to  unite  us  to  himself  in  life  and  in  love ,  in  the  fellowship  of 
his  own  Son.  Liee — light  and  love,  are  the  proper  char¬ 
acteristics  of  the  sons  of  God. 

The  pleasures  of  godliness  are  many  and  great.  But  those 
pleasures  can  be  known  and  realized  only  in  the  spirit,  and  as 

ing  especially  the  outward  buildings,  and  the  courts,  and  even  the 
sacred  inclosure  ;  and  is  the  substantive  form  of  the  adjective  heiros, 
sacred,  sanctified,  made  holy :  but  naos,  naon ,  is  the  Greek  word  for 
“  temple,”  in  the  sense  of  the  inward,  and  most  holy  place,  the  dwelling 
place  of  God.  These  two  words  are  used  distinctively  in  the  word  of 
God,  as  touching  the  ideas  represented,  but  in  the  use  of  each,  the  ideal 
meaning  of  the  other  is  included. 


WITAT  IS  MAN  ? 


177 


we  walk  in  the  spirit :  for  they  pertain  only  to  the  spirit  or 
“  new  man,”  and  not  at  all  to  the  flesh  or  “  old  man.”  The 
old  man  hates  the  yoke  of  Christ,  and  would  fain  be  rid  of  its 
restraints  :  but  the  new  man  loves  that  “  easy ”  and  love- 
lined  yoke  ;  and  counts,  “light”  as  gossamer  the  burden  which 
the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus  lays  on  him.  The  new  man,  in 
the  saint  responds  to  the  words  of  Jesus,  which  he  spake  to 
the  Father,  saying,  “  I  delight  to  do  thy  will  0  my  God  :  yea, 
thy  law  is  within  my  heart.”  The  pleasures  of  godliness  are 
pure,  and  serene,  and  heavenly  and  divine.  They  cannot  be 
expressed  or  shown  by  any  of  the  indices  of  natural  pleasure ; 
being  too  refined  and  elevated  to  be  shown  by  symbolic  ges¬ 
ture,  or  by  stentorian  voice.  They  cannot  be  described  and 
must  be  realized  to  be  known  and  understood,  yet  it  may  be 
said,  that  the  pleasures  of  godliness  are  realized  in  a  conscious 
elevation  in  the  spirit,  and  in  Christ,  when  we  have,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  overcome  evil  in  ourselves,  in  the  way  of  inward 
moral  conflict  and  victory,  and  when  we  have  overcome  evil 
in  another  by  manifesting  and  doing  good ;  and,  so  also,  at 
all  times  when  we  have  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
witnessing  with  our  spirit,  that  we  please  God.  The.  pleas¬ 
ures  of  godliness  are  known  and  felt  when  the  name  of  God  is 
hallowed  and  honored  by  ourself,  and  by  others  in  our  sight 
or  to  the  knowledge  of  our  minds.  But  many  of  those  holy 
and  heavenly  pleasures  are  anticipative ;  and  so,  we  pray, 
saying,  “  Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be  thy 
name  :  thy  kingdom  come  :  thy  will  be  done,  on  earth,  as  it  is 
done  in  heaven.”  AVe  desire  earnestly  that  man  and  Satan’s 
misrule  shall  cease  ;  and  that  the  loud  wail  of  the  groaning 
creation  shall  no  more  be  heard  ;  and  that  all  iniquity  shall  stop 
its  mouth  ;  and  that  the  empire  of  righteousness  and  peace 
shall  be  established  over  the  whole  earth  ;  even  all  this,  and 
much  more,  we  desire  to  see  accomplished  by  the  coming 
again  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  to  receive  us  unto  himself, 
and  convey  us  into  that  peculiar  place,  which  he  has  gone  to 


178 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


make  ready  for  us — the  place  proper  to  “the  sons,”  in  the 
Father’s  holise — that  where  he  is  there  we  should  be  also. 
We  shall  then  be  entirely  holy  and  righteous;  and  being 
perfected  in  eternal  life,  we  shall  also  be  perfected  in  eternal 
light  and  eternal  love.  And  the  beatitude  of  heaven,  which 
we  most  earnestly  desire,  and  most  pleasurably  anticipate, 
will  arise  from  our  perfect  conformity  to  the  moral  excellen¬ 
cies  or  eternal  perfections  of  God.  Being  predestinated  to 
be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son,  we  shall  in  all  respects 
— save,  essential  Deity — be  like  him  ;  and  so,  shall  we  be 
capacitated  for  seeing  him  as  he  is.” 

Many  of  the  pleasures  of  godliness  are  highly  anticipative  ; 
and  are  known,  at  present,  in  the  way  of  antedating  in  our 
heart  the  ineffable  delight  and  blessedness  that  will  possess 
and  fill  and  dilate  the  vigorous  heart  of  our  immortal  and 
glorified  being — and  to  which  all  the  angels  of  God  will  fully 
respond — when  the  last  question,  touching  the  essential  good¬ 
ness,  and  moral  glory,  and  absolute  supremacy  of  our  God, 
shall  have  been  raised  and  put  to  silence  forever ; — when  the 
last  sin  against  our  Heavenly  Father  shall  have  been  com¬ 
mitted;  and  its  memorial  caused  to  perish  forever  ; — when  the 
last  groan  shall  have  been  uttered,  and  the  last  sigh  shall 
have  been  heard,  in  the  universe,  and  both  shall  have  been 
hushed  forever,  in  the  silence  of  eternal  death  ; — in  a  word  ; — 
when  the  last  enemy  shall  have  been  destroyed. 

Then  and  not  till  then,  will  the  pleasures  of  godliness  be 
consummated.  “  Then  shall  we  see,  and  hear  and  know,  all 
we  desired  and  hoped  below.”  Then,  in  the  fellowship  of 
the  good  and  blest,  and  in  the  fellowship  of  Jesus,  the  Lord 
and  Giver  of  Life,  we  shall  not  only  roam  amid  the  unfad¬ 
ing  delights  of  the  paradise  of  God  ;  but,  from  the  grand 
celestial  Observatory  of  the  “  Father’s  house,”  we  shall  con¬ 
template  the  Universe — the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth — 
and  meditate  on  the  complete  realization  and  embodiment  of 
the  eternal  idea  of  the  Godhead,  in  a  universe,  pure  and 


WHAT  IS  MAN  ? 


173 


perfect,  and  radiant  with  the  moral  glory  of  God.  Then 
with  the  buoyancy  of  immortality  in  our  being,  we  shall  be 
superior  to  the  physical  laws  of  the  Universe  ;  and  be  able  to 
visit  at  pleasure  the  remotest  provinces  of  the  creation  of 
God.  The  secrets  of  the  universe  will  be  all  unbarred  to  us  ; 
and  its  problems  we  shall  readily  solve.  Every  object  we 
behold  will  be  fair  and  beautiful,  and  blessed  :  and  every 
sound  we  hear  will  be  the  voice  of  gladness,  and  praise,  and 
glorious  exultation.  In  the  fellowship  of  the  Son  of  God  we 
shall  preside  over  the  universe  of  holy  and  loving  and  rejoic¬ 
ing  and  immortal  intelligences.  And,  while  suns,  and 
systems,  and  firmaments  revolve  around  the  throne  of  God— 
their  common  centre  from  which  they  all  depend — and  as  we 
behold  their  ceaseless  revolutions  ;  it  will  be  one  part  of  our 
blessedness,  to  recite  the  truth,  that,  “Jesus  made  them 
all.”  But  our  still  more  blessed  employ  will  be  to  celebrate 
the  achievements  of  the  manifold  wisdom  of  our  God,  and 
the  immortal  triumphs  of  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace. 
We  shall  then  know  Jesus  even  as  we  are  known  of  Him; 
for  we  shall  have  a  perfect  community  of  knowledge  with  Him. 
We  shall  “have  the  mind  of  Christ” — and  shall  be  “filled 
with  all  the  fullness  of  God.” — Glory  be  to  the  Father, 

AND  TO  THE  SON,  AND  TO  THE  HOLY  GHOST,  AS  IT  WAS  IN  THE 
BEGINNING  IS  NOW  AND  EVER  SHALL  BE,  WORLD  WITHOUT  END. 

Amen  I 


»  ’ 


I 


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